April 1 – The Passion according to
St. Luke
Beginning at Luke 23:14 and
continuing through the end of chapter 23
Look to the Cross and
See Forgiveness and Love
When you’re in the midst of a crisis and life be comes more than you
can handle, look to the cross.
When you’re heart is almost breaking, and your head is bowed low, look
to the cross.
Because at the cross Jesus faced a crisis that was almost more than he
could handle - His heart was breaking and His head bowed low.
Jesus was the Son of God, but he was also human. As our lesson
explained he laid aside his divine privilege and emptied himself, being born
in human likeness. He experienced
His suffering and the prospect of His death as any other man or woman would.
So when they went to the
He wanted the cup of suffering to pass.
The pain and shame of the next day were dreaded prospects.
As a man he was distraught - In his anguish he prayed more
earnestly… in such agony of spirit that great drops of sweat dripped off
him.
But Jesus has lived the will of God.
He knows how awful the cross will be, but he also knows God through
prayer. So finally he prays yet, not
my will but yours be done. He will
trust God - trust God’s will for his life even though at that moment he is
scared to death.
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Jesus could find the strength to continue, not only because he prayed
that night, but because he had prayed every day before then. The gospel reports that he prayed regularly –
sometimes leaving the disciples during the night to go off to pray. And he prayed long and hard before each major
event in his life. All that prayer
nurtured his relationship with the Father and prepared him for the prayers of
that night – he could draw on that close relationship with God the Father.
Jesus at prayer is, therefore, the model for the Christian. Daily prayer - frequent prayer - can be a
source of strength and a preparation for those occasions when we desperately
seek God’s guidance and help.
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When he was on the cross, they ridiculed Jesus: “If you is the Messiah, God’s chosen one, come down from the cross -
save yourself!"
But He will save himself, not by coming down from cross, but by giving
himself on the cross in obedience to His Father’s will. The mysterious way of God that is so
different from human logic. He would teach us that it is in giving that we
receive. It is in pardoning that we are
pardoned It is
in loving that we are loved. It is in
dying that we are raised to eternal life.
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The Jesus who in His ministry instructed us You
must forgive and even love your enemies, lives by His words. In the midst of His unjust suffering, His
first words from the cross are spoken to His executioners, his enemies: Father
forgive them, for they know not what they do.
The innocent Son of God has taken upon Himself the sins of the world
that we might receive forgiveness and new hope.
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Two criminals were crucified with Jesus on
That criminal repented – admitted his sin and was willing to accept its
consequences. He simply asked for mercy.
In response Jesus offers forgiveness and salvation: Today you will be
with me in paradise.
In that scene on
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We may have done some bad stuff in our lives. But we don’t have to hide or try to cover it
up. Instead of the threat of divine punishment for our misdeeds, we have
received the promise of forgiveness and love.
Like the thief on the cross, we can admit our misdeeds and confess that
we deserve God’s punishment – and simply pray
“Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom.”
A humble prayer - a prayer of faith
In faith, we trust that Christ is merciful. That he who forgave the thief and even
His own executioners will also forgive us.
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Having gone through that cycle many times – first sinning and falling
away – and then finally returning and seeking forgiveness – we can learn from
that experience. As we walk with the
Lord, no experience is wasted. All
can be redeemed.
The Lord can use our experiences – even the negative ones – to help us
to grow. As long as we return to him and
seek His guidance, he can turn things around.
Turn to Him in faith.
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On the cross, Jesus shows us what faith really means.
Ultimately, faith is entrusting our lives to God - putting ourselves in His hands.
Praying with Jesus: “Not my will, but thine
be done.”
We entrust our lives to a Lord whose power can bring good out of evil, joy
out of sorrow, blessings out of burdens, crowns out of crosses, life
out of death, and who will at last turn Good Fridays into a victorious
Easters.
So Jesus’ final words are words of complete trust in God.
“Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.”
At the end, not anger or doubt, but serenity, acceptance and
trust. A trust that
grew and developed through prayer.
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There is only one place to go when you can’t make any sense out of your
life, when everything is falling apart, and you keep asking “Why, Lord?”
There is only one place to go – to
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On the cross the Lord Jesus stretched out His arms in love, inviting us
into His saving embrace.
He offers forgiveness of what is past,
and
invites us to new life.
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We can turn to Jesus because
He knows what we feel and experience...
and
therefore we can trust Him to be compassionate,
and call on Him no
matter what our circumstance
When you feel weak and beaten down, look to
the cross. The crucified was beaten, but the victorious
Christ can be your strength.... for His divine power is made perfect
in human weakness.
When you are afraid - face trials and troubles, look to the
cross. He was afraid, but the victorious Christ can give you courage...
for you are not alone and He is at your side.
When your heart is almost breaking, and your head is bowed in
sorrow, look at the cross and know Christ suffers with
you and will help you make it through.
Look at the cross, and see the love of Christ that can sustain you in
every dark and disastrous day, turn burdens into a blessings,
and see you through every trial and storm.