Daily reflection _ He raises the dead and gives them life

HE RAISES THE DEAD
AND GIVES THEM LIFE
It is only by our faith in Christ that we can pass from death to eternal life. It is in Christ that we find God, and in Him alone.  
Deacon John Ruscheinsky
One of the greatest problems facing the world today is a movement either to deny or ignore the divinity of Christ. There are some that would want to see Jesus as a great philosopher, or social reformer. To be sure, Jesus has a human nature, which creates appeal for us: He graced the wedding banquet, blessed little children, ate and drank with sinners. But Jesus is much more than a man, even a very extraordinary one. He is truly God, and the religious leaders in today's Gospel saw clearly that Jesus spoke of God as His own Father, thereby making Himself God's equal.
Jesus forcefully manifested His claim of divinity by attributing to Himself two works in particular that are distinctively God's works. These are the greater works which Jesus will show; greater, for instance, than the cure of the man at the pool which was in yesterday's Gospel. First, Jesus gives life; He raises the dead to life. Second, He judges all people, and thereby grants them eternal life, or gives them a choice to turn away from Him.
In today's Gospel, we hear that the reason why the religious leaders were even more determined to kill Him was because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also, worse, was speaking of God as His own Father. Then Jesus says to them: "I solemnly assure you - the man who hears my word and has faith in Him who sent Me possesses eternal life. He does not come under condemnation, but has passed from death to life. And an hour is coming, has indeed come, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God."
Reflecting on these readings, I couldn't help but think about the Stations of the Cross. In Paul to Corinth, we read, "We walk by faith, not by sight" (Cor 5:7). Truly that is what Jesus shows us by His Stations. As we reflect on the Stations, they show us God and His unconditional love for us.
During this Lenten season, I have been reading and reflecting on a book titled, "Faith Walkers" by Joseph Nassal. I would like to share some of these thoughts with you:
The way of the cross is a sojourn of the soul.
This journey invites us to engage our imaginations
In a process of holy recovery -- recovering the last steps
                   Jesus took on His walk on earth.
As such, this journey takes us to places we'd rather not go.
But by walking this way with Jesus, we learn how not to become frustrated when fear and failure creeps and seeps into our souls. The Station of the Cross teaches us that we are faith-walkers and not sightseers: "we walk by faith and not by sight." We are pilgrims not tourists. The only postcards we purchase are from the edge of time and space that place where heaven meets earth and hope is born again and again.
The Stations of the Cross has long been a popular devotion for Christians, especially during Lent. Catholic Churches have placed these Stations on their walls for centuries. More than a pious devotion, the Stations of the Cross is a spiritual journey that takes us across the treacherous terrain of the heartland; beyond the grave to an eternal space where dreams are conceived. As we walk this way this Lenten season, be prepared to stop often. Not to rest but to sense how this cross is crushing our shoulders; how the pebbles feel like boulders upon our bare feet; how the splinters from the wood slice through our skin and sink deep beneath the surface to leave scars on our souls. There are no exit ramps, no rest stops, along this harrowing, yet holy way. Winter's cold winds, ice, and snow have wounded the pavement beneath our feet. We will fall into potholes so large we will think we will lose our lives if we are not careful. But then that's the point: be careful. Be full of care for those who walk this way with us. And when we are full of such compassion and empathy for those we meet along the way -- the weary ones, the weeping ones, the angry ones, the violent ones, the jeering ones, the curious ones -- we will lose our lives.
And maybe, just maybe, find our souls!!!
We can see by all that Jesus went through for our salvation, that we must accept Christ, and believe in His divinity. We should take this occasion to remind ourselves of what this belief entails. It is only by our faith in Christ that we can pass from death to eternal life. It is in Christ that we find God, and in Him alone. The divine life, which God the Father has in Himself, has been given to us through the Son, by God sending Him into this world as the life-giver who welcomes those who are lost with open arms.
 The Lord is gracious and merciful (Ps 145). May we run into His loving arms this Lent.