Passion Sunday 7.4.19 Suffering
We prepare to travel the next two weeks culminating in the Easter
Triduum.
We hope to learn as we go, growing in our understanding of
all that Our Lord went through, receiving His mercy and grace as we do that.
They say a drop of Our Lord’s blood would have been enough
to save us - His blood being of infinite value. He wanted to do more than the
minimum, however. He gave all His
blood for us. He endured unspeakable suffering, from His arrest to the moment
of His death.
We speak of His Passion and Death - the Passion meaning His
suffering.
Our Lord experienced pain in His humanity. We must never say
He does not understand our troubles. He has been through far more than we ever
have, or will endure.
Suffering is the index of love. The more we love someone the
more we are prepared to put ourselves out for that person.
It can be love for more than one person. What about everyone
in the world - past, present and future? This is what Our Lord had - enough
love to be willing to suffer for each and every person; including the
undeserving and ungrateful. He died for
us while we were still sinners (Rm 5,8)
He demonstrates the depths of divine love. He gives us not just
words but deeds, as in the miracles He worked. He shows us not just theory but
practice, as in putting His words into action.
Love thy neighbour – He says, and He does. Greater love than this has no man than to
lay down his life (Jn 15.13)… He does lay down His life. He is leading from
the front.
His suffering is even more to be wondered at insofar as it
was voluntary, and at any point He could have escaped.
He could have come down from the Cross; or simply switched
off the pain – but He allowed Himself to go through the whole thing, pain and
all.
This has to make some impression on us – hard-hearted though
we may be.
To help us be influenced by this event, the Church gives us
two weeks to retrace Our Lord’s steps. We can go through the time with Him, especially
from Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday.
We express sorrow for contributing to His pain, because of
our sin.
We express gratitude for what His suffering has enabled –
our forgiveness and eternal life.
We resolve to imitate His example; to take on His way of
looking at people, to be willing to suffer with Him in His desire to save them.
Our love becomes more than just words; it becomes real in its
application.
We learn with Simon the Cyrenian, and Veronica, and the
women of Jerusalem in consoling Our Lord in
His pain. The mob cries out for His blood; all the more do we stand with
Him.
He suffered to set us free from sin and death. It is an act
of love on His part which will move at least some people to a change of heart -
like the Good Thief (Lk 23,39-43), or the Centurion (Mk 15,39).
We hope each Holy Week goes some way to enflaming us into
understanding our Lord’s suffering and adopting it. Our Lord knows what each is
capable of and will allow it accordingly.
We pray for our capacity to love to increase, so that we can
suffer without complaining.
We leave it to Our Lord to know what to ask of each
disciple. If we comply with His wishes, and do not resist Him, it will be
better for all.
By His holy Cross may He continue to redeem the world.
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