Reading: John 18:1 - 19:42

Reflection:

Is it our task to make the gospel relevant to our lives, or to make our lives relevant to the gospel?

It is very easy to enter into mind games when it comes to "religion truths." We need to be very careful about how far we enter into such games. We need to be careful not to distort the gospel in our attempts to make it relevant to our desires and values.

If we truly want to be with the Christ, who is revealing himself in the proclamation of his gospel, then there are certain risks we need to take. We need to reach out our hands in trust to others. We need to accept our hurts and our pain. We need to accept our immorality. We need to stop looking at life in terms of questions and answers, or rights and obligations. We need to take such risks in order to experience ourselves as human beings who need Jesus Christ.

The passion account is a narrative of how the incarnate Word of God - Jesus Christ - literally became immersed in the critical aspects of human life. If we truly desire to be with the Master, we need to give ourselves the opportunities can be ours if we are willing to take the risks in life.

Prayer

Father, through the passion and death of your Son, you have revealed your willingness to be with me in the most critical aspects of human life. Help me to take those risks needed for me to experience my humanity so as to be with your Son in all that is human. I ask this in the name of Jesus, my Lord.

Remembrance

Today I will remember how important it may be for me to take risks.

Taken from the book Walking in the Kingdom of God:
A Lenten Meditation for the Busy Christian
Published by Liturgical Press
Distributed by Claretian Publications, Philippines