A sacred moment

Okay, so we stand before the Cross. Soon, we must realize we’re not the only ones standing there. Jesus is there, too. Yes, Jesus. It is not the Jesus of the public square. It is not the Jesus who wants us to realize our sin, be aware He suffered and died for us, and thank Him for our lives, despite the sorrow and pain. No, this Jesus is far different. There’s something about Him that makes it hard to keep standing. There’s something about Him that makes what’s in our hearts ignite and burn. And maybe you can’t make out the look on His face just yet, but I’ll tell you what I see. I see an intense gaze, one that enfolds you, one that works to assure you your suffering was not for nothing. Soon, you will see yourself as He sees you — loved, accepted, invited, whole.

Time plays differently in this sacred moment. Jesus is at once on the Cross, suffering, and standing before you. Every wound in your body now burns with His and insight tells you how powerful this suffering will become — in your transformation and in the transformation of the world around you.

This is all true. Your job is to bring this truth into its fullness in your daily life. Not one tear of yours has been wasted. Jesus has taken it upon himself and now stands ready to hand it back to you to be used as fuel for change. He will show you how.

Reflection

How does the Jesus of the public square differ from the Jesus you know deeply in your heart?

Prayer

Dear Jesus, I don’t know about this. Yes, I want this to be true. I want to believe my suffering can be used to heal not only me but others and my world around me. But, the voices telling me You’re not real are loud. The voices telling me it is foolish to believe are loud. And my own anger, Lord…

Help me to believe. Help to make the commitment to take just one more step toward You. Amen.