Palm Sunday 25.3.18 Sorrows
Our Lord went through all this pain
- because He thought it was necessary. People generally
underrate how much damage theirs sins do. The Cross tells us that sin is a very
serious matter.
- because it would be the perfect sacrifice able to atone
for all sin of all time.
- because it would gather disciples (like us) who would be
willing to die with Him, rather than kill Him.
The Cross would serve as a permanent reminder in this
earthly pilgrimage of all these things, above all the need to persevere to the
end.
It is consoling that we have the Resurrection, but there are
times when we need to contemplate the darker side of things.
To let the full effect of Christ’s work operate on us, the
least we can do is be grateful, and then to make an effort to free ourselves,
or at least not dive back into the pit.
What he has done is a million times more than we can do for
Him, but we should do what we can, and give Him the consolation that not everyone
rejects Him.
Some Christians celebrate Easter without worrying about all
that went before. They bypass the suffering and death, reasoning that He is risen
now, and all the rest is past and gone.
Thus empty crosses.
Whereas the Church’s view is that we need to work through
the details, to be fully engaged. Our own contemplation of the sufferings gives
us a deeper appreciation of what is at stake.
Not least because our own lives are situated in a great deal
of suffering and sorrow.
We are happy in principle, but we have so much to go through
yet, to be fully in the clear.
We are in the valley trying to reach the top of the
mountain.
The evil does not have to infect us. We could live among
sinners without being one ourselves; it is just harder. But it can be done and
should be done.
And done to such an extent that even the sinners want to
come and join us, like those who realized at the Cross that they needed to be
with Him, not against Him.
We are changed by contemplating Him in his sufferings and
death, enabling us to be more compassionate, patient, trusting etc.
And we live with greater humility and charity as regards
other people. We are not so angry in our thoughts, more willing to forgive,
keeping the spirit of Calvary foremost.
Let us spend this next week in extra contemplation of such
things, and much prayer.
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