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Sleeping Lord
Jesus has died and has been buried. The tabernacle is empty and the Lord of Life has descended into hell. The earth stands still but not for long. Jesus has broken through the gates of hell to free the souls of the righteous. Soon, the Lord will rise in His glorified body, fulfilling the will of His Father.
“Today there is a great silence over the earth, a great silence, and stillness, a great silence because the King sleeps; the earth was in terror and was still, because God slept in the flesh and raised up those who were sleeping from the ages. God has died in the flesh, and the underworld has trembled.”
— from an ancient homily for Holy Saturday
Reflection from “Return to Me”
Jesus has died and has been buried. The tabernacle is empty and the Lord of Life has descended into hell. The earth stands still but not for long. Jesus has broken through the gates of hell to free the souls of the righteous. Soon, the Lord will rise in His glorified body, fulfilling the will of His Father.
Death can not hold Jesus back. The Lord of Life tramples the prince of darkness and his lies. The Light of the World descends into the abyss of darkness and the darkness has no choice but to be dispelled. Evil is no match for good for it is only the absence of good. Because God took on flesh, our human flesh is forever changed. Death and corruption is not our end. Eternal life is now extended unto us. The death of the Son of Man brought forth the life of redeemed humanity.
May we allow the Light to penetrate the darkness of our hearts and the world, and bring about newness of life.
To The End
The most unthinkable and unimaginable thing happens – God dies on the Cross. That the Almighty God, Creator of the Universe, would take on human flesh, suffer, be nailed to a cross, and to die a criminal’s death is just unbelievable. It does not make sense, but it’s not supposed to. Love does not always make sense.
“When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, ‘It is finished.’ And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.”
John 19:30
The most unthinkable and unimaginable thing happens – God dies on the Cross. That the Almighty God, Creator of the Universe, would take on human flesh, suffer, be nailed to a cross, and to die a criminal’s death is just unbelievable. It does not make sense, but it’s not supposed to. Love does not always make sense.
When we look upon the Cross in movies such as The Passion of the Christ we see a bloody, gruesome execution scene. However, if we look at it through the lens of faith, we see not an execution scene, but the greatest love story ever told. Even as He was dying, Jesus made sure His Mother was taken care of by entrusting her to John, and John to her. From His pierced side flowed blood and water, giving birth to the Church (baptism and the Eucharist). He gave us His all and loved us to the end, “bowing his head” and “handed over the spirit.”
Thank You, Lord for dying for me. May I never forget Your love.
This is the Good Friday Reflection from “Return to Me.”
Click here for the daily video reflections for Holy Week and other Lenten resources.
Obedient to Death
The Church begins Holy Week with Palm Sunday where were commemorate the Lord’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The people welcomed Him waving palm branches and even paving the road with their cloaks, a winner’s welcome. They cried out “Hosanna,” trusting that Jesus is the One who will restore the Davidic Kingdom. The hearts of these people were filled with hope and joy. Yet a few days later, those hopeful hearts will harden into hateful hearts, exchanging their “Hosanna!” for “Crucify him!” Click here for more Lenten Resources.
“Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Philippians 2:7-8
The Church begins Holy Week with Palm Sunday where were commemorate the Lord’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The people welcomed Him waving palm branches and even paving the road with their cloaks, a winner’s welcome. They cried out “Hosanna,” trusting that Jesus is the One who will restore the Davidic Kingdom. The hearts of these people were filled with hope and joy. Yet a few days later, those hopeful hearts will harden into hateful hearts, exchanging their “Hosanna!” for “Crucify him!”
Jesus did not enter into Jerusalem to be the Messiah the people desired; He came to be the Messiah the Father willed. Jesus came to do one thing and one thing only: the Father’s will. To show the love and mercy of God and to draw all things and peoples to Himself is what Jesus came to do. How ironic it is that the more Jesus tried to preach the Father’s love and mercy did the chief priests plot to kill Him all the more and the people shout “Crucify him” all the louder. Yet, this did not stop Jesus. Nothing could stand in the way of Jesus’s obedience to His Father, even if the way led to death.
In condescending unto earth, Jesus left the glory of heaven to become one of us, like us in all things but sin, so that we might come to know the Father’s love. He left the place of glory and entered into a world that wanted Him dead. While He came to give life, He was met with death. But, death was no match for Him. How can the Lord of Life be held down by the Prince of Darkness, for his Master is the Lord. Jesus emptied Himself and subjected Himself to the laws of the world so that He can save us from the world. In His obedience unto death Jesus brought unto us eternal life. Will we chant “Hosanna!” or “Crucify him!” today? What do our actions say?
May we empty ourselves this Holy Week of our selfish passions and desires and allow the love and mercy of God to fill our hearts, so that like Jesus, we too, might become obedient to the Father’s will, even if it means dying to ourselves so that the needs of others might come first.
Blessed Holy Week to you.