We all know that Jesus came to save us from our sins, but why did he have to experience the Passion, such an extreme means to save us? That’s because the destructive effects of sin is also extreme. Sin lurks in the darkness. Jesus came into the world to enter into the darkest places of each and every one of our personal lives. He came to enter into our sins, to bring his light of salvation into our souls.
What do you fear the most? I would venture to say that our darkest fear is death. Jesus loves us so much that he came to enter into death itself through the Passion and destroy its effect on us. He brings light into the darkness of death caused from sin by illuminating it with the light of God. Sin has no power over God so if we walk with Christ into that darkness, sin and death will not have any power over us.
Let’s pick up our cross of sin and walk with Christ throughout our lives, letting him lead us past the darkness of our sins. We must be always openly honest with him about all our weaknesses and failings. We do this through daily prayer and meet his loving forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation and his saving power made present to us through the Eucharist.
Jesus comes to the highpoint of his earthly life by giving away himself. He was viewed as a sinner, a criminal, a blasphemer, forced to die on a cross. Jesus takes the cross which was a symbol of the shameful death of criminals and changes it into a symbol of life and hope. Through the cross we are set free from sin and death, we are led by it to a path of life where we are to give all of our being to selfless acts of love for our neighbor. Jesus gave us all of himself and we are to give all ourselves to others. Let’s walk with Christ throughout this Holy Week, let’s die to sin and rise with Christ to the resurrection to new life, a life of eternity with him in heaven.