February 23, 2007
Who died on the Cross? A Lenten Meditation
Lent is upon us. As Catholics, we focus on our mortality and our relationship with Jesus Christ during the forty days of Lent in preparation for Easter (just as Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness before His public ministry). And this is a good Lenten meditation for that time.
Who died on the Cross?
At first, this question seems silly: it was Jesus Christ, of course! But it was actually more than just the person of Jesus Christ. As believers in the Trinity, we believe that God died on the cross at Calvary. Not just the person of Jesus, but the single God we follow actually died on the Cross.
This is a profound statement. God not only gave His Son so that we might have Life, He also gave His own life. Yes, He rose again, but He did die for you. Just meditating on this reality can change your life forever.
In Pope John Paul II’s biography, Witness to Hope, it is pointed out that Pope John Paul II was calm and confident even in bad times. The reason was that Pope John Paul II knew that the worst thing that could ever happen had already happened: our God came to earth and we killed Him. Nothing this bad (or even close) could ever happen again. So he proceeded with courage, faith, and confidence that no matter what happened, it would not be the worst possible thing.
How would you live your life differently if you didn’t worry about the bad? If you were completely confident that the God who died for you would lead you forward to heaven (even if that meant through suffering)? How would you live your life differently if you realized that you had already done the worst thing you could do: you killed your Savior through your own sins. Jesus Christ, who is God, would have died if you were the only person on earth. He still would have needed to repair the damage done by your personal sins.
Each of us must live with the consequences of our sin, but we must realize that our sins did have real consequences: they killed God. And He died willingly to pay for them, despite the fact that we have never lived up to the love He gives us.
How would you live differently if you fully realized the ramifications of this?
God bless,
Jay
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Jay wrote: How would you live differently if your realized the full ramifications of this?
If I truly realized that the worst has already happened and that God's love, mercy, and goodness has overcome the worst, I would...
1. Not complain when my Bishop places first confession after first communion but would instead joyfully speak the truth and invite others to do the same.
2. Not despair when my Bishop declares the use of graphic abortion images as unjustifiable violations of the dignity of the unborn but would instead joyfully speak the truth and invite others to do the same.
3. Not complain when my parish fails to teach that the consecrated Host is the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ under the appearance of ordinary bread and wine but would instead joyfully teach my children the truth and invite others to do the same.
4. Not complain when the choir sings "precious body, precious blood, here in bread and wine" but instead joyfully speak the truth and invite others to do the same.
5. Not yell when Children's Liturgy of the Word teachers don't let the children back into the Church for the consecration, but instead speak the truth and invite others to do the same.
6. Spend more time thanking God for the blessings he has showered upon me.
Lent would be a great time for me to do all that. If I did that, then it would probably be an answer to what must be the prayers of who have to deal with me regularly.
From sour-faced Saints, Good Lord, deliver us! (Originally from Saint Teresa of Avila who must have known many people like me)
Posted by: Burnt Marshwiggle at February 23, 2007 01:29 PMJay,
Why didn't the writers of the gospels spell out the truth of the Trinity? In debating the Divinity of Christ, in would help to have some direct assistance in the gospels. If the Trinity is the fundamental framework of the Christian faith, why is this not addressed directly in the New Testament? Why did it take 300 years to develop that truth? I'd appreciate your opinion.
Thanks,
Michael O.
Michael O,
Not to put words into Jay's mouth but I cannot help but take a stab at answering the question: why don't the Gospels state the divinity of Jesus more clearly? Why wait for 300 years?
One answer is that it was 300 years before the divinity of Jesus was seriously challenged by people claiming to be Christians.
The gospels make no mention of whether converts who believe in the risen Lord must get circumcised. The apostles in Acts 15 made a ruling because the question was being debated at the time. Jesus made no ruling in the gospels because no one put the question to him at the time.
The gospels also do not speak of needing to partake of the Lord's Supper worthily - because it was not a debated issue. Saint Paul addresses it quickly in his first letter to the Corinthians in response to abuses.
The gospels do not condemn the practice of selling or buying the gift of the Holy Spirit because no one at the time had tried it. But when Simon Magus attempts to do so in Acts, he is quickly condemned by the apostles.
Doctrine or rules which gets proclaimed after the end of Jesus earthly ministry (e.g. the book of Acts or any ecumenical council) often only surfaces in response to heresy or abuse (the Marian dogmas which fall under Papal Infallibility are a curious exception to this).
It would be unreasonable for the gospels to respond to every possible future heresy and the writers do not even make such an attempt.
Posted by: Burnt Marshwiggle at February 26, 2007 07:13 PMYou that belive in the trinity, belive that GOD died on the cross. But God connot die, so God, the true God could not have died on the cross. His son, Jesus Christ, died, but not God, for God is eternal and everlasting. so what you belive is a lie and is not the truth. If God died then we have no salvation and our believing is in vain. For only a man, a perfect man could have died for our sins and not God. Turn from your idolitry and worship the true God. There is only one God not three.
Posted by: Frederick A Garcia II at March 13, 2007 08:28 PMGreater love hath no man than this, than to lay down one's life for a friend. If God has not, can not, and will not die for us, does that mean that we love each other more than God loves us?
I would rather follow the triune God who claims to love me enough to die for me (even if it turns out a lie) over a God who make less sacrifice for me than an even an ordinary mother does for her children.
Posted by: Burnt Marshwiggle at March 14, 2007 01:15 PMjesus!
Posted by: bob at March 21, 2007 11:39 AM
