Time To Reflect, By Roger Behra

SHORT COMMUNICATION 148

Time To Reflect

By

Roger Behra

Just like clockwork, six and one-half weeks before Easter Sunday, the Lenten time period for serious Christians arrives. It is a special time full of obligations and rituals. It is also a time por penance and forgiveness for human failures and transgressions. It is also a time for some serious reflection.

As we reflect on how to be a better Christian, the Lenten time is great time to reflect on the greatest act of human love ever committed by man. Without that greatest act of love there would be no hope and no salvation.

The greatest act of love described here is the passion and death on the cross by our Lord and Savior, Jesus. There is a saying some people use, “thank God for God.” Only God could create billions of stars, the planets, the earth, and the man to enjoy his creation only to find out later how evil and thankless man would become that would necessitate His passion and crucifixion in order to gain salvation in eternity.

For those millions who are not aware, the beginning of the greatest act of love started with the Last Supper. All twelve apostles were present, when Jesus changed bread and wine into His body and blood. That left us with a lasting remembrance that is celebrated at every Catholic Mass during consecration.

From the Last Supper Jesus and His apostles went to the garden of Gethsemani where Jesus experienced His very awful agony and three times begged His heavenly Father to spare Him from the crucifixion. In the garden Jesus envisioned all evil and sinfulness committed down through the ages to the end of the world. He realized His passion and death on the cross had to be done. As a result His agony was so intense that He sweated blood. Jesus realized the wishes of His heavenly Father had to be completed and that it would include unbelievably barbaric and painful treatment.

When Jesus left the garden he was betrayed by Judas. That eventually led to the scouring at the pillar that was so inhuman and included special whips that inflicted unbelievable pain and suffering.

After the flogging Jesus was crowned with a crown of thorns that was designed to be especially painful, and then he was dressed as a mocked king paraded before multitude. All of this was added to the already very painful situation. Wounds to the body of Jesus totaled 1000.

The great pain and suffering did not end with the scourging and crowning with thorns. As Jesus was forced to leave for Calvary, a very heavy cross had to be carried, and that caused a very severe shoulder wound in addition to all the existing pain and suffering.

Jesus, who God made man, suffered as a human would under the same circumstance,. He could have refused. Instead, he said, yes, and insured our salvation. We cannot be thankful enough. We should contemplate the greatest act of love very, very often.

R. B.
2-20-10