The celebration of the Holy Week is approaching. It will be the remembrance of the peak moment of Jesus’ life: his death. Looking at Jesus at the moment of his death we understand much better all that he did and taught throughout his life. What at first was confusing is now seen from a new perspective that illuminates and clarifies.
The sacrifice of life that Jesus made on the Cross was a puzzle for many. Why was it a necessity for the Son of God to be crucified? It was indeed a necessity for us to realise that his love for the Father as well as his love for us is total, unconditional and without any reservation. His self-giving sacrifice produced the fruit of life.
John presents the human face of Jesus as he prepares for the final sacrifice. He is afraid as everyone is afraid of death; he would like to avoid it. A premature death, in the prime of life, violent, absurd, abandoned by all, even by his friends, delivered by one of his disciples, therefore, victim of hatred.
Here is the inner drama of Jesus and he wonders: What can I say at this moment… ask the Father to save me from this hour? But I have come for this very hour that the supreme revelation of the love of God will take place and I have to go through it. And he prays a prayer, “Father, give glory to your Name.” ‘Through me show forth your glory.’ It is Jesus’ acceptance of the Father’s plan.
Love does not manifest itself without surrender, without renouncing one’s own will. Spouses would know this better. There is no marriage that works well without a good dose of sacrifice, of renunciation, of surrender. In the same way, the new covenant is signed in mutual surrender. But since it is God’s initiative, since it is God’s will to sign this covenant with humanity, to give us life, it is God who takes the first step in that surrender.
To show us His good will, He became one of us, went through the same joys and difficulties as we do and ended up dying like anybody else. But of course, with a difference: he made his death a sign of his love for us. And his death became a sign of life. His death is the grain of wheat that dies, and when it dies, it bears much fruit. The cross, a sign of death, becomes a sign of life. The sign that many Christians wear around their necks is a sign of the triumph of life, of our hope in him who gave us life when he died.
For your reflection
Do we know of any cases in which death or pain have been occasions to grow in love and life? When we look at the Cross, do we recognise there a sign of life or death? Do we want to make our life a gift to others “so that they may have life”? How?
Father Fernando Torres CMF
www.ciudadredonda.org
Translated by Father Alberto Rossa CMF
