During this Triduum, we are focused closely on our Savior’s last and most difficult days on earth.
Reading St. John’s narrative of Christ’s Passion and Death, no more words are needed, and yet our hearts are overflowing with gratitude and awe at this graphic expression of the great love that overflows from the Heart of Jesus for each one of us.
He freely laid down His life for us, the life of the only Son of God in the flesh. He allowed His pure Heart, the Heart of Incarnate Love, to be pierced and poured out for us. As the great High Priest, Jesus offered the supreme Sacrifice to our eternal Father to atone for our sins, the Sacrifice that is offered each day on the altar at every Mass. Because of this great Sacrifice, we are able to become sons and daughters of God.
And as we look on Him whom we have pierced, whose beauty was distorted by our selfishness and whose wholeness was crushed for our sins, we begin to understand that he bore the guilt of us all. His serenity and his obedience to the Father were steadfast in spite of cruelty and mockery and torture. “Like a lamb led to the slaughter,” He allowed himself to be condemned and killed. He freely laid down His life, He “surrendered himself to death,” to give us the abundant life for which we are created.
Today, I look at the scene on Calvary and know that it is I who have crucified my Lord. My own selfwardness and refusal to love him and my neighbor as I should have caused the sufferings I see as He is sentenced, scourged, mocked, crowned with thorns, and nailed to the cross He embraced for love of me. Forgive me, Lord. Open my heart to this scene and teach me how to suffer with you, to be one with you, for others.
St. Paul tells us that we can make up in our own bodies what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ (Col 1:4). What was lacking? Did Jesus hold anything back? No. He gave everything for us. So what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ is the suffering of his Mystical Body – what is lacking is MY suffering. He did not hold anything back; Jesus just “left me a little room” to join Him there on the Cross.
Lord, help me to understand that in bearing life’s difficulties with patience and generosity and offering them in union with your own Passion, you allow me to join you there, to take my place near you in this act of redemption, and in some mysterious way to help relieve the pain your heart bore. Teach me how to take up my own cross each day (Luke 9:23), and follow you more closely, in love and humility. Lord, I thank you for dying on the cross for me.
Durante este Triduo Pascual, nos centramos de cerca en los últimos y más difíciles días de nuestro Salvador en la tierra.
Al leer el relato de San Juan sobre la Pasión y Muerte de Cristo, no se necesitan más palabras, y sin embargo nuestros corazones están rebosantes de gratitud y asombro ante esta expresión gráfica del gran amor que desborda del Corazón de Jesús por cada uno de nosotros.
Entregó libremente su vida por nosotros, la vida del único Hijo de Dios en la carne. Permitió que su Corazón puro, el Corazón del Amor Encarnado, fuera traspasado y derramado por nosotros. Como el gran Sumo Sacerdote, Jesús ofreció el Sacrificio supremo a nuestro Padre eterno para expiar nuestros pecados, el Sacrificio que se ofrece cada día en el altar en cada Misa. Debido a este gran Sacrificio, podemos convertirnos en hijos e hijas de Dios.
Y cuando miramos a Él que hemos traspasado, cuya belleza fue distorsionada por nuestro egoísmo y cuya integridad fue aplastada por nuestros pecados, comenzamos a entender que Él cargó con la culpa de todos nosotros. Su serenidad y su obediencia al Padre fueron firmes a pesar de la crueldad, la burla y la tortura. “Como un cordero llevado a degollar”, permitió que lo condenaran y lo mataran. Libremente entregó su vida, “se entregó a la muerte”, para darnos la vida abundante para la que fuimos creados.
Hoy, miro la escena del Calvario y sé que soy yo quien ha crucificado a mi Señor. Mi propio egoísmo y mi falta de amarlo a Él y a mi prójimo como debería haber ha causado los sufrimientos que veo mientras lo sentencian, lo azotan, lo burlan, lo coronan de espinas y lo clavan en la cruz que abrazó por amor a mí. Perdóname, Señor. Abre mi corazón a esta escena y enséñame a sufrir contigo, a ser uno contigo, por los demás.
San Pablo nos dice que podemos suplir en nuestro propio cuerpo lo que falta a los sufrimientos de Cristo (Col 1,4). ¿Qué faltaba? ¿Jesús no se entregó completamente? No. Él lo dio todo por nosotros. Así que lo que falta a los sufrimientos de Cristo es el sufrimiento de su Cuerpo Místico; lo que falta es MI sufrimiento. Jesús se entregó completamente; simplemente “me dejó un pequeño espacio” para unirme a Él allí en la Cruz.
Señor, ayúdame a entender que al soportar las dificultades de la vida con paciencia y generosidad y ofrecerlas en unión con tu propia Pasión, me permites unirme a Ti allí, tomar mi lugar cerca de Ti en este acto de redención, y de alguna manera misteriosa ayudar a aliviar el dolor que tu corazón soportó. Enséñame a tomar mi propia cruz cada día (Lc 9,23), y a seguirte más de cerca, en amor y humildad. Señor, te doy gracias por morir en la cruz por mí.
Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and eleven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com
Feature Image Credit: uroburos, pixabay.com/photos/way-of-the-cross-jesus-suffering-712001/
The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.
The post It Is Finished / Todo está cumplido appeared first on Diocesan.