The Crucified Christ
What a powerful symbol of our faith. But more than a symbol, it also defines who we are and our relationship with Our Lord Jesus Christ. In three days, we enter the Season of Lent: a time of reflection, penance, almsgiving, and a period of preparation. It is a time when we are urged to contemplate the Crucified Christ and what He means to us on the most intimate and personal level. Of course, this can easily be done at any other time during the Liturgical Year, but Lent offers an opportunity to make this central to our worship and our spiritual lives. The mass encourages this and the Church further defines it as we enter this time of preparation for the highest of Feast Days in Christianity: Easter Sunday.
As Catholics, we are challenged to look beyond the crucifix itself and focus on the personhood of Jesus; the human being that suffered, was crucified, and died for us so that we could receive the gift of eternal life. Yes, Jesus was fully human and felt all the pain, all the suffering, and the fears of death. This is easily forgotten in the light of the Resurrected Christ and the Gift of Salvation. This can be overlooked in light of Jesus, the Son of God in His divine nature.
Lent challenges us to shift the focus away from the divine and look at the humanness of Christ. To take that feeling when we celebrate the Eucharist and carry it with us for the entire Lenten Journey. HE DID THIS FOR US. Lent challenges us to put ourselves in the shoes of Christ and walk with him on that long, lonely journey to the Cross. Lent challenges us to pick up the cross and carry it with him. Feel His pain. Feel His sacrifice. Feel His love for us. At the same time, we must acknowledge our sins, short-falls, and our own humanness. We are sinners and through Christ we are forgiven.
When we fast during Lent, it helps as a constant reminder of what Christ did for us. We share a bond of sacrifice. This is more complete with the giving of alms to those in need, helping those while we are in a state of suffering ourselves. Through the giving of alms and the seeking of forgiveness, we are forgiven for those sins that we carry with us in our humanness. These sins and the fasting serve as our cross. We become sharers in Christ’s Passion.
During this season, there will be a lot happening within our parish family. From Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Stations of the Cross, viewing of the Passion of the Christ, to other special gatherings. Through it all, we will all be together. We must all ask ourselves: “What will we do to make this Lenten Season special? What will we do to make this season have a lasting impact on our Journey of Faith? What will we do differently?”
After that question is asked, we can all pick up our crosses and begin our journey. That journey up that lonely hill to be with Our Lord Savior Jesus Christ.
By Deacon Tom Anthony
