101 Thorncliffe Park Dr.
Toronto, ON
Canada
M4H 1M2
P: 416.467.8070
F: 416.429.7921
info@csj-to.ca
“Who are you looking for?” They answered, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ He said, ‘I am he... Let these others go’... They crucified him with two others, one on either side with Jesus in the middle... He said, ‘It is accomplished,’ and bowing his head, he gave up the spirit.” (John 18, 19)
He was little more than a youth, having "grown up like a sapling before us, like a root growing out of arid ground" (Isaiah 50). "During his life on earth he offered up prayer and entreaty, aloud and with silent tears... and he submitted so humbly that his prayer was heard." (Hebrews). Yet he suffers, yet he dies. By his suffering he was made perfect; by his death we were healed.
What a mystery is here! Is not our life just such a mystery? We too have prayed and wept. We too have suffered. But have we believed that we too were heard? Have we truly believed that God's powerful love could bring perfection out of our suffering and life out of our deaths?
The mother standing there, like every mother who has watched a child die, has her faith stretched to the breaking point. But stand she does. This is not just her own personal tragedy. This is the judgment of the world and it is a judgment of love.
Jesus, the Christ, you have accomplished our good and so we name this Friday "Good." We bow our heads, we bend our knees for this is awesome. We offer you our love and our thanksgiving.
Photo by Philip Castleton
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Last updated: January 15, 2010 -- 02:23:34 pm