Yesterday I had a personal experience that I will not forget and it was while praying the stations of the cross in church and in partaking in the Good Friday service. It is true that the passion and death of Jesus shows that he walks with us throughout our lives and is always there for us. Jesus shows that his sacrifice is our salvation to make us realise that through his wounds, we are healed.
In our lives, we experience betrayal by others and at times we are also the betrayer and everything unworthy. Nobody is innocent but Jesus alone and he spoke the truth. Jesus did not back down but continued to shoulder on till the Crucifixion on the cross. Even when Jesus was being nailed on the cross, he cried out to his father, ” Why have you forsaken me?” It shows the closeness of the human experience that Jesus is able to feel everything that we feel and that through his death and resurrection, our sins are forgiven and we are pardoned.
The mass was also very crowded which meant that people took heed of Jesus’s invitation to come together to observe his passion, even those some had remained outside of the church for sometime. Christ’s salvation is for everyone, no matter how pious or otherwise, and he wants to draw people close to him as he knows the burdens and brokenness that we are struggling with. He even forgave those that persecuted him and this act of great compassion shows that the repentant ones will be forgiven.
Many times like Jesus, we go through much pain, humiliation and agony as we try to do the right thing and when we feel all alone, know that it is not in vain as people will continue to stand with us. The kingship of Jesus as Saviour was not a glorious one but that of a servant willing to save souls and open hearts. The cross symbolizes Jesus’ triumph over sin and death and Satan as our Lord paid the price for our salvation and he redeemed fallen humanity. The veneration of the cross shows that we too must have faith and cling on to our crosses as Jesus tells us to carry on and that he will give us rest when we need it the most.
I am grateful that despite my busy schedule, I am still able to connect with Jesus and not lose that connection as Christ’s message assures me that I have not been forsaken and that I am not imprisoned in sin but rather in his comfort and love. Nevertheless, if we continue to be obedient in seeking God’s will, we can be set free. The cross is the church’s universal symbol which forms part of our Christian identity and it has paved the way to peace, joy and freedom, and it reminds of that we need not be tied down by sin.
The responsorial psalm also highlights the meaning of Christ’s death and what it means for us Christians. “In you,O Lord, I take refuge ; let me never be put to shame. In your justice rescue me, Into your hands I commend my spirit; you will redeem me, O Lord, O faithful God.For all my foes I am an object of reproach, a laughingstock to my neighbours, and a dread to my friends; they who see me abroad flee from me.
I am forgotten like the unremembered dead; I am like a dish that is broken. But my trust is in you, O Lord; I say,”you are my God. In your hands in my destiny; rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.” Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your kindness. Take courage and be stouthearted, all you who hope in the Lord.”
May we continue to observe the passion of our Lord with contemplation, reverence and to anticipate his resurrection from the dead on Easter Sunday in the hope that no matter what our sins, we are able to start anew again! God Bless!
Written By: Darren Chan Keng Leong
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