On a day like this, I sometimes feel
that the most eloquent response to the word of God we have proclaimed is
silence. Even the best of homilies could be a distraction from the deep
meditation in which many of us find ourselves at the end of the story of the
suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. But I think a short meditation
might be useful to focus our hearts and minds in the right direction. Otherwise
we might be like little Johnny who was failing all his exams in the public
school until his parents decided to send him to a Catholic school. At the end
of the year Johnny came out on top of the class. When his parents asked him
what made him change so dramatically Johnny replied: “You see, the moment I
walked into that new school and saw that guy hanging on the cross, I knew that
the people here were damn serious; so I decided not to take any chances.”
The crucifix might have helped
Johnny to improve his scores but it is easy to see that Johnny has misread the
crucifix. The man on the cross is not there to scare little boys (or us) but to
show them how much he loves them. And today my brothers and sisters, He wants
to show you how much He loves you. He is not here to threaten - or show us what
will happen to us if we sin. He is here to show you and me that He has
already paid the penalty for our sins. He doesn't die on the cross for any
wrong that He has done. He chooses to die, out of love, for what you and
I have done. He chooses to die for our sins. But be at peace,
because he loves you. He suffered and died for you. He loves you more that you
can imagine. If we were to take all the love in every heart of everyone on
earth, and add to it all the love of all those who ever existed throughout
history, then add the love of all the saints in heaven, and all the angels, and
pour all that love into one Heart - and direct all that love on ourselves - it
would still fall infinitely short of the love God is pouring out on each one of
us - right now.
“He died for us:” Many of us have
heard this phrase so many times that it now carries with it neither the shock
of someone dying on account of what we have done nor the good news of our being
delivered from sin and death.
There is a line in today's Gospel
that shocks me: "The teacher says, My appointed time draws near; in your
house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples."
I just want to invite each of you to
focus this Holy Week on the good news of Jesus not just desiring, but
LONGING…THIRSTING to celebrate this Passover, this last supper, His great act
of love and sacrifice for you IN OUR PARISH, IN YOUR HOUSE, IN YOUR HEART.
He wants to be with you and to stay with you. He wants you to be
convinced once and for all that He came into the world with the specific
intention of freeing you, of saving you from sin and death. This is true
freedom – deep freedom – and it’s FREE. It’s His gratuitous gift for
you.
Lord, there is one word that shines
in my heart today - JOY! Help me not to leave room in my heart for
sadness - even when faced with difficult temptations, disappointments or even
failure and sin. You came to transform my mortal and weak life into a
life of joy and hope in You. You are the conqueror of death and sin - the
King that comes to save my poor soul. I want to be yours completely - to
be your servant and to love You and serve You with my entire heart, soul, mind
and strength!
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