Running Towards the Pain
It is human instinct and human nature to want to run away from pain and avoid as much suffering as possible. Can we really blame the Apostles for running away when they saw their Teacher, their Lord, who was all-powerful, arrested by the guards? They are humans. Emotions settle in and instinct takes charge. Jesus stayed. In the midst of chaos and betrayal, Jesus remained still. In the beginning when God created the world, He brought order out of chaos and said “Let there be light” and there was light. In the same way Christ was the Light that brought peace and order to that night of confusion and uncertainty, the silent Word made flesh that spoke most loudly. It was Jesus who brought order to the chaotic night and who stood firm affirming the truth. Jesus ran towards the pain and drank the cup that was handed to Him.
“A hired man, who is not a shepherd
and whose sheep are not his own,
sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away,
and the wolf catches and scatters them.
This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep” (Jn. 10:12-13).
Jesus is the Good Shepherd who, when wolves come, runs towards them and stands in front of the sheep, protecting them from harm and driving the wolves away. Jesus always goes before us. He protects us and drives away the darkness and the evil that tries to snatch us away time and again. In the midst of darkness and confusion, Jesus brings peace and order and light.
Because Jesus ran towards the pain, we have the hope of salvation and life eternal. Because Jesus ran towards the pain, death and sin no longer has a hold on us. Because Jesus ran towards the pain our suffering now has meaning. We too are invited to run towards the pain, because when we do we come to find that we are really running to a person, someone who knows us and loves us. When we run towards the pain, we find that Jesus is already there waiting for us so that He can bear that pain and endure that suffering with us. Run towards the pain because when we do our lives will be forever transformed.
