As I was reflecting on the readings for this Palm Sunday, especially the Passion, and thinking about the world, my mind was flooded with the following thoughts. And so I journaled and the words just came out. What resulted is a dialog between us and Jesus, as His Passion lives on today and every day, in us and through us, just as it did back then. And He is there with us as we bear our crosses.
A man cries out in despair, weighed down by the chains of addiction, wanting to change, but he can’t.
A woman cries out, deep in the throes of depression, wondering if there is a way out.
A son cries out, after another bout with a bully, wondering why he has to be different, and why people can’t just accept him and love him.
A daughter cries out, thinking she’s not pretty enough, that she’s nothing, sick and in despair from all the comments from her ‘friends’ on social media.
A father cries out, after losing his job, wondering what good he is and how he will provide for his family.
A mother cries out, after the phone rings unexpectedly, learning that her child is dead.
Our Lord cries out from the Cross. Dying for all of us, for all the sin and pain and tragedy we encounter and bring about.
They all cry, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”
“Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”
Jesus knows how we feel in these times. Abandoned. Alone. In the darkness. Wondering what the reason is for anything, on the edge of losing it all.
The latest storm or shooting or bridge collapse occurs. The latest act of terror or hatred sets down on us like a thick fog. And we continue to cry out “Why God?”
“My God, My God, why have you forsaken us?”
You’ve faced this beast before. It comes in many forms. Pain. Agony. Worry. Fear. Darkness. Feeling of being alone. In these times, we wonder why God would let this happen. We ask where God is, and why He has abandoned us. Because we feel that He is not there. How could he be, we wonder, in the midst the tragedy?
The only thing that is there, that we see, is the dark, cold, barren place we find ourselves in – our Golgotha. We see others staring at us, mocking us. They can’t possibly understand. They don’t understand what they are doing. We’re alone and isolated from everything – including God. Everything except that beast which looks to destroy us.
But it’s all a façade. It’s a mask the devil puts before us, to trick us, causing us to think that this is all there is, that God is not there. We’ve got to look past it. Beyond it. We’ve got to cry out to God, deep from the heart, deep from our very soul, letting it well up and burst out. Because what else do we have in these times? We don’t understand. We cry out, “My God, where are you? Why have you abandoned me? I don’t understand.”
And Jesus speaks to your heart: “I know. I know how you feel. I feel your pain. I’ve been there, I Am here. Don’t turn away from me. Let me bring you closer, let me comfort you. Surrender yourself, don’t try to do it all on your own, let me help you through it. Because only though me and my grace can you make it through this time.”
But we respond: “But why Jesus, why have you let this happen? Why did you abandon me? If you were truly a God of love, you wouldn’t make me go through this.”
And Jesus says: “My child, I know it doesn’t make sense to you. Someday, you will see it clearly. Someday, you will understand. I know you hurt right now. I know that you don’t feel my Presence. But trust me, I Am here, closer than I have ever been. You cannot do this on your own. Use this time to open yourself up to me. Let me into your heart and save you, and fill you with my love and grace.”
Yet we continue to ask: “But why Jesus? Why would You let me feel this way? Why would You let this happen?”
And Jesus says: “There are many reasons why things happen, often no fault of your own. The world around you is like an intricate web, everything is interconnected. But there is one who wants to destroy it. And so, bad decisions, sometimes by you, and sometimes by others – others you don’t even know – these decisions tear at the web, ripping it apart. Right now, your piece of the web has been torn. You are staring at an abyss. If you let me, I can fix it. If you let me into your heart, I can bring you through this – stronger.
Yet we persist: “But why God? Why me? Why those I love, my family, my friends, innocent kids? What did we ever do to You?”
Jesus responds: “Nothing. And everything. You are human. They are human. When sin entered the world, this became the human condition. You as a person, and every other person, your lives, are a product of free will and the decisions made out of that free will – not only in the present time, but of generations past. As I said, life, and time, is an interconnected web. Sin overshadows the world. It tricks you, and seduces the world with empty promises. My way seems difficult, and in many ways, it is more difficult. But it is the simpler way. It is the only way. I can help you navigate these tough times, the one you’re in right now, and can help you with this burden, and lighten the load along the way. You know this, don’t you?”
“I’m right there with you, on the Cross, I know what it is like to be you, to deal with what you are dealing with. I cried out to My Father in the same way, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ He was there, next to me all along, just as I Am for you. Your cry out to me, asking where I Am and why I have forsaken you is the first step to total surrender. Now take the next step and trust in me, believe in me and the good that I can bring, and trust that I will be there and lead you through this.”
“Let me bring you closer to me through this trial. Let me grow your heart and your soul and your spiritual strength through this time of pain. The merits of this will have an infinite impact on this interconnected web of life that we live in, that you cannot see now. But you will see one day.”
“Let me love you, and let me show you how to use this pain, this passion to love others.”
And we say softly: “Jesus, into Your hands I lay this problem, this hurt, this pain. I trust in You.”
Jesus responds: “My child, it will be painful. But lay your trust in me and good will come from this. Just a little while longer. Don’t despair, don’t give up, don’t turn away from me. Surrender to me. Let me turn this into love.”
Jesus – I trust in You.
And He concludes: “Though it may feel like it, I have not abandoned you. Let me in. Let me love you. This is why I died on my own Cross – for you. To love you and help you through this world, through these times. To show you how you can use your own experiences and pain and sorrow to help others who need it. Let me show you. I am a part of you. This is my Passion for you. Put your complete faith and trust in me.”
Jesus – I trust in You. I love You. Thy Will Be Done.
And soon enough, the sun begins to shine. The air warms, and the flowers bloom. A new Springtime in our lives. A new beginning. A new Easter is coming.
And we see the world, and others, in a different way.
