What does it mean to live in the Mystery of the Cross? Why did God choose to save us by such a death? I remember watching my pastor on Good Friday several years ago as he took off his shoes and went over to the cross to kiss it with such a look of love on his face that I wanted to love the cross that much, too.
Understanding the Mystery of the Cross—and loving it, making it the center of our lives—is core of Christianity. When we encounter the cross in our own lives, we often just hunker down in confusion and the pain of suffering. I certainly many times in my life have said, “WHY, God?” when I encountered suffering in myself or others. Why, God, do you choose that way—the way of Beatitude and peace instead of the way of fighting evil with swords of justice and power? Why, God, choose to die on a cross to save us? Why ask us to do the same?
Perhaps you challenge God with similar questions. One way to look at today’s readings is to see them as people in Moses’ time and people in Jesus’ time asking the same questions. Whether we face the clear evil of snakebites or the more subtle evil of the pride of thinking our often humanist compassion is wiser than God’s choice of the cross, we often face evil with the sentiments of the Pharisees arguing now with Jesus.
In our parish we say the Stations of the Cross each Friday. As I pray those stations I am reminded that as a Christian I am called to participate in Christ’s passion in the way I live my life in the Mystery of the Cross. God chose to save me by coming to earth to be human like me, by teaching me as His disciple, by choosing to die for me, by having the capacity to rise from the dead, and by giving me His life through the Holy Spirit. Through my possession of the Holy Spirit I am called to enter into the obedience of the Way of the Cross—a Way that lives Love in the face of even the most horrible of evils.
All of this remains a great Mystery to me. It is a Mystery that I have skipped over through most of my life. I saw it as too hard to comprehend—or to live. This Lent God has given me grace to ponder it again and again. I am mesmerized by it. Yet it is very, very complex to me. What follows as explanation of today’s Gospel is complex. It includes a look at Gospels for the past week, because they are all go together to develop answers to the tough questions which arise from the Mystery of the Cross. Bear with me.
Holy Mother Church leads us toward the Mystery of the Cross in Holy Week by giving us readings now from chapters 5, 7, and 8 of the Gospel of John. These “high Christology” chapters are difficult to read and understand. They include seven dialogues between Jesus and the Pharisees that explore the Mystery of the Cross in light of Jesus as Son of God—as God Himself choosing to die for love of us. In these passages of deep theology we can watch Jesus as He explains and perhaps comes to full understanding within Himself of who He is and what He is about to do.
It is necessary for me to put today’s selection, John 8:21-30, in context of these other dialogues to give it clear meaning. This sequence of explaining who Jesus is and why He chose to accept crucifixion began last Wednesday as Jesus discussed his healing of the man at the pool of Bethesda. The topic of discussion was how dare He do that on the Sabbath. Jesus (and the author of the Gospel) began to build their case for the Mystery of the Cross by naming Jesus and the Father as of one mind, one will. Jesus says, “I cannot do anything on my own.” (John 5:30)
Each day since then another piece of Jesus as Son of God choosing to die has been explored. On Thursday Jesus said, “If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is not true. But there is another who testifies on my behalf.” (John 5:31) Jesus moved the argument from being of one mind to a unity of testimony.
On Friday Jesus moved a step closer to expressing full unity with the Father: though people saw Him as a local, known person, He is also God—and thus at odds with ways of worldly power: “You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. I know him because I am from him, and he sent me.” (John 7:28-29)
On Saturday the Gospel writer asks the Big Question: Who is Jesus? Prophet? The Christ? The evidence shows He is not ordinary man.
On Sunday the story of Jesus, the Pharisees, and the woman taken in adultery set the stage for the arguments of this week. We heard Jesus proclaim God’s mercy: (the WHY of the cross) “Then Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.’” (John 8:11) He came to give us a Way of love, where sin is just something to turn away from and be forgiven of.
Yesterday we heard the familiar words, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) Jesus then named His unity with the Father again “I am not alone, but it is I and the Father who sent me.” (John 8: 18)
Tomorrow we will hear the familiar “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8: 31-32) THAT is why.
Today Jesus names the choice we each must make: the choice to BELIEVE so much in the Mystery of the Cross that it centers our lives—or the choice to not see that the Way of the Cross as the Way of God. Jesus confronts us today: “For if you do not believe that I AM [God Himself who chooses to die of love] you will die in your sins.” Jesus then reiterates His relationship with the Father: “I have much to say to you in condemnation. But the one who sent me is true, and what I heard from him I tell the world.”
The Pharisees still didn’t understand. Jesus says then, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me. The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him.”
Prayer:
Jesus, help me to understand the Mystery of the Cross enough that it can center my life. Help me understand that living in the Mystery of the Cross is the Way to enter into the Mystery of Trinity and Holy Spirit. This is the Way of unified Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When I falter at opportunities to overcome evil with goodness, help me remember that You and the Father are with me and within me through the Holy Spirit whenever I choose to live the Mystery. Help me, Lord, to understand, because when I understand I have the courage to follow You. Help me look with such love at Your cross that others will want to love it, too. Help all of us to rejoice in its mercy.
Today’s Readings: Numbers 21: 4-9; from Psalm 102, John 8: 21-30
