For Jesus, the pain of his soul should have been bigger than his physical pain. Then, almost all of his friends left him and he stood there in this time of his trail alone.
Today, when I see him as a crucified, I ask myself:
Did Jesus loved his cross? Whether he wanted to suffer necessarily?
We hear Jesus praying in Gethsemane:
"Father, if you are willing take this cup from me ..."
That means, Jesus as a human had some problems with the cross and suffering. Please do not understand me wrong.
That mean, he did not wanted to inflict or add crosses by himself/ his own will.
We know a lot on some strict Monks who used to torture and scourge themselves. They wanted to suffer with God and they had done it by adding pains to their own bodies.
Jesus was a healthy person - in body and soul.
He has accepted his cross and pains positive.
He understood the meaning of his suffering, which enabled him to "love" his sufferings. He even cured or sanctified them.
People do not want sufferings and cross.
But have a close look at our lives;
everyone has his cross, his pain in life.
And it is natural that no one today goes for some "extra cross".
But what Jesus teaches us is definitely helpful for our life:
He teaches us to understand how to love crosses, and how it can be changed positively; how can it be turned to healing one as Jesus did ...
- through better understanding of the meaning of suffering...
- with the right attitude toward suffering.
What many people are unfortunately lacking this positive approach and understanding!
Our faith and communion are of great help here.
Jesus carried his cross because he had great Faith in his Father in Heaven.
He also had people who stood with him and that made him stronger ...
Unfortunately, the most important ones - his disciples – were not there.
They were weak as they could not understand his suffering and it value.
But we see them later, returning to him with more power and intensity, as they understood the meaning of his suffering.
Then they had had no more fear on their crosses ...
To have cross means to live consequently.
We had had a living example before our eyes, that was the blessed Pope John Paul II - He was sick and suffering...
Still he did not want to hide his suffering from the world.
He has shown the world, suffering is also part of human life;
a Pope can suffer just like every other person in the world.
He had an answer for the world’s hesitation to the suffering...
My dear friends,
Pain and suffering are no reasons to get out of discipleship;
they are no reasons from to get rid of the obligations of life!
As Jesus and many saints did,
we too can transform our crosses and lives to the sign of salvation.
All our sacrifices and fasting during Lent is useful
when we experience God's power from the cross;
if we can draw positive energy from His / Our sufferings.
That is my wish for all of us, especially on today's Good Friday!
May God, who was strong also on his cross, strengthen us. Amen!
-Fr Thomas Kalathil
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