LOOK AT THE CRUCIFIX
Whenever we
look at a crucifix, let us realize that Jesus died because He loves us.
When
we look at a crucifix it is difficult for us to realize that Jesus is on the
cross because He chose to be. It looks as though He were overpowered by His
enemies and forced to die on the cross. This was not the case. On one occasion,
the Pharisees tried to stone Jesus to death, but He easily escaped from them.
On another occasion, the people of His own town led Him to the brink of a cliff
with the intention of throwing Him to death on the rocks below, but He simply
turned and walked away with no one able to lay a hand on Him. There are many
incidents in which the enemies of Jesus tried to apprehend Him to put Him to
death, but they were powerless to do so because, as our Lord explained, His
"hour had not yet come." That hour was the time determined beforehand
by the Father.
In
today's Gospel, Jesus indicates that He knows the time set by the Father for
His sacrificial death; Jesus says, "My appointed time draws near"
(Matt 26:18). He also showed His foreknowledge of his death by His prediction
that one of the twelve was about to betray Him. Jesus not only knew the time of
His approaching death; more importantly, He willingly accepted that death in
loving obedience to His Father, in fulfillment of the Scriptures.
Here
are some questions we might ask ourselves from today's Gospel: Why did Judas
betray his Master? Was his treachery motivated by greed, bitter disappointment
with Jesus or hatred because of disillusionment? It may be that Judas never
intended that his Master to die. Maybe he thought Jesus was proceeding too
slowly and not acting aggressively enough in setting up God's Kingdom. Perhaps
Judas wanted to force Jesus' hand by compelling Him to act! Nonetheless, Judas'
tragedy was his refusal to accept Jesus as He was. Aren't we tempted at times
to use God for our own purpose? It is not God who must change, but we must be
changed by Him. Jesus knew beforehand what would befall Him. As Jesus ate the
Passover meal with the twelve apostles, He put them under trial and suspicion
("one of you will betray me") to teach them to examine themselves
rightly, lest they be high-minded and think themselves stronger than they were.
We must also examine ourselves in the light of God's truth and grace, and ask
Him to strengthen us in faith, hope, and love that we may not fail or forsake
Him when we are tempted.
In
the conclusion of His presentation of Himself as the Good Shepherd, our Lord
said, "The Father loves Me for this: that I lay down My life to take it up
again. No one takes it from Me; I lay it down freely" (Jn 10:17). And at
the Last Supper, He said, "There is no greater love than this: to lay down
one's life for one's friends" (Jn 15:13). These words express the motive
according to which Jesus died.
On
Good Friday, or whenever we look at a crucifix, let us realize that Jesus died
because He loves us. It was the perfect expression of His free, personal love
for His Father and for us. And when we pray; let us pray with confidence in the
words Jesus gave us to pray: "Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver
us from evil."
Blessed Easter Triduum!