Dear Friends,
The church begins its greatest feast today. A feast that lasts a week. This week we remember and celebrate the Paschal Mystery. This week we recall all that Jesus did out of love for us and the work that redeems us. This week we remember the event from which we received the great gift of the Eucharist. This week we celebrate the gift of eternal life given to us with Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. This week. This week is the center of it all. So, come and join us as we remember and celebrate. The liturgies are powerful and will not disappoint.
In John’s account of the passion Pilate asks eleven questions. He asks more questions than he makes statements. He has the power to issue commands over life and death yet he takes the time to ask Jesus a lot of questions: What charge do you bring against this man? Are you the king of the Jews? What have you done? What is truth? Where are you from? Shall I crucify your king?
Pilate has the task of governing an unruly nation. It is festival time and lots of people are in town for the celebration. He believes he has more to fear from the local religious leaders than he does from this man from Galilee, so he makes a decision to appease them so that he can get back to his work. He had the opportunity to see the face of God, but he chooses to wash his hands of the whole affair.
Many of Pilate’s questions continue to be asked to this very day. Is Jesus the King? What is truth? Why was he crucified? Hopefully, as disciples of Jesus you have been able to answer those questions for yourself. You have looked into the face of Jesus and seen the face of God. You have not chosen to turn away from the cross, but have chosen to embrace the mystery of the cross and know that it brings you life.
Years ago Rudolf Otto wrote a book on the theory of the numinous, of the encounter between human beings and divine. It was called The Idea of the Holy. In it he describes the encounter as “mysterium tremendum et fascinans.” An encounter which evades our ability to describe it and which is an experience of another world intruding into ours. Yet, for Christians we believe that in the person of Christ we can understand the true nature of God’s goodness. Christ, in undergoing the crucifixion, took the sufferings of the world on himself. He lifted suffering out of the negativity, in which we tend to view it, and showed it as an attribute of God, something which is not alien to the world of creation, but an integral part of it. Through suffering Christ showed us that our own suffering is worthwhile and an opportunity to grow morally and spiritually by imitating him. God gives us the gift of Jesus and through his sufferings points us toward salvation.
This week, we are invited to reflect on this mystery and experience transcendence through our own experience of suffering and sacrifice. Many contemporary people will deny that there is any meaning in sacrifice and they will think you crazy to reflect on it. They, like Pilate, will ask the questions about kingship and truth, but will not look into the face of the answer.
Come. Spend time with truth and love this week. For you are willing to look into the face of the answer.
Peace,
Father Damian