WHY DID CHRIST DIE?
The whole context of Lent provokes a deeply disturbing fundamental question why did Christ die a violent death to redeem humanity? Could God almighty not will it for the fallen nature of man to be restored without any shed of blood of his beloved Son like he orderly and creatively did in his work creation and everything will be new again? Why the passion, death and resurrection of Christ? Why must God die? Is it a sadistic act for Christ to die that way? All these fundamental questions lead to one single fact: why did Christ die?
ANSWER AND CONTEXT OF CHRIST’S DEATH
Arguably, we could say that the death of Christ was to fulfil the scripture or to do the will of God. In as much as this assertion is true. It does not mean that God predestined it for Christ to suffer and die. This is determinism and it was never a will or voluntary choice or decision of Christ. This has a strong theological consequence for our faith and Christian life. It is all the pre-plan drama with no say of ours. It also means we are machines incapable of deciding anything.
God does not will the death of Christ, it was a personal will of Christ to lay down his life for us. In the course of Jesusâ ministry, he did heal the sick, and liberate the opposed by demonic forces and powers. He preached the Good News to the poor and taught sinners the way to return to God.
In essence, his life, works, and teachings did not go down the way with the religious and civil authorities. His lifestyle was a reproach to their selfish way of life of enslaving, dominating and controlling the people. They were like gods among the people and Christ´s preaching and teaching of the truth were liberating and set free the people from religious enslavement. This provokes a lot of bitterness, anger, and jealousy as their ambitious motives were been exposed by Christ.
This is simply the reason why Christ must die. Christ being God knew this was the way to liberate us. Yet, as a human, it was difficult for him to come to terms with this cruel way of dying on the cross.
Hence, God the Father vindicates his self-sacrificing to save us from sins and death. That is to say, Christ’s death was an atoning offering
The death of Christ, therefore, was a willingly or voluntarily self-giving sacrifice to pay for the price of our merited death sentence due to our sins. It is a price of redemption paid for standing for the truth against falsity, light against darkness and freedom against enslavement.
OUR THEME OF PALM SUNDAY
The Passion Sunday ushers in the holiest week of Easter. A quiet and silent moment of sober reflection on the history, mysteries and memory of our salvation. Through Christâs passion, death and resurrection following God: the Father´s will with in-action of God: the Holy Spirit. Our creation, salvation and sanctification are a collaborative work of the Most Holy Trinity.
HOLY WEEK
With the triumphant entry to Jerusalem of Jesus Christ, we invite the most solemn moment of our faith: THE HOLY WEEK. It is a moment of sober reflection and prayer. A moment of silence and contemplation of the events of our salvation through Jesusâ passion, death and resurrection.
It is not a holiday time. It is not for beach escapades or parties trips or social outings as the society of the time, media and business circles try to portray it.
FIRST READING: PROPHET ISAIAH 50:4-7
In the first reading of the day, the Prophet Isaiah 50:4-7 reminds us of the Song of the Suffering Servant of God: Jesus Christ, who willingly and generously embraced the painful Father´s will knowing he will come out victoriously without shame.
Todayâs first reading, the third of Isaiahâs four Servant Songs, like the other three, foreshadows Jesusâ own life and mission. The Refrain for todayâs Responsorial Psalm (Ps 22),â My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?â plunges us into the heart of Christâs Passion.
SECOND READING: PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11
St. Paul´s Letter to the Philippians 2:5-11, praise the self-emptying of Godâs Servant: Jesus Christ, dying to save his people. A self-giving, self-donation or self-emptying of God: the Son to become slave, accept death on a cross, that earned Him a Name above every other name in heaven, on earth, and beneath the earth and with every tongue acclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord to the glory of God.
Indeed, the Second Reading, taken from Paulâs letter to the Philippians, is an ancient Christian hymn representing a very early Christian understanding of who Jesus is, and of how his mission saves us from sin and death.
THE GOSPEL: MATTHEW 26:14 â 27:66
The Lord´s passion according to the Gospel of Matthew 26:14 â 27:66 narrates to us: Judas’ betrayal of Jesus placing him on a silver platter for the Jewish authority who were looking for an opportunity to do away with him. Why? These three possible reasons:
(a) Greed for money;
(b) Hatred, disappointment and disillusionment for Jesus´ way of doing things differently and
(c) An attempt to force Jesus to act before his time.
Peter is the opposite of Judas, both offended and betrayed Christ. Peter despite his failure recognised the mercy and compassion of God and wept bitterly for his sins. Judas on the other took to despondence and with bitter regrets took his own life: the gift of a merciful God.
THE GREATEST CONSPIRACY OF ALL TIME
Jesus´ suffering, passion, and death were one of the greatest conspiracies of all time when evil men under religious and political pretences and excuses tried to silence an innocent, just and good man.
1. For the Jewish leaders and authorities, Jesus was an intruder and an impostor they must do away with to keep and preserve their religious traditions and customs.
2. For Pilate and Roman authorities, Jesus was the scapegoat who must take the fall, though innocent as he was for there to be peace and order in the land.
3. For the soldiers, Jesus was a victim of obeying the last order or command of superior authority with no moral obligation to their brutality.
4. For the Jewish people, Jesus was like any revolutionary figure who came to distort the existing status quo and stability with there was more preferable to this unestablished order of Jesusâ way. So Jesus was the lesser evil to do away with than abusive and manipulative leaders.
GOODNESS ABOUNDS DESPITE THE EVIL
Yet, amidst the conspiracy, some good people moved with empathy to help the suffering innocent man.
A. Simon of Cyrene who helped Jesus with his cross, though compelled to help out as a stranger.
B. The women of Jerusalem who mourned and wept for Jesus and would accompany him all through to Calvary.
C. Mary, Jesusâ mother and the disciple Jesus loved though in pain and sorrow supported Christ’s suffering and death to accomplishment in silence.
D. The centurion who amidst brutality and injustice truly acclaimed and professed Christ as âTruly this man was Godâs Son!â
E. Joseph of Arimathea, who publicly owned up to belong to Christ-fold. Sought permission to bring down Christâs body as well as provide the tomb and materials for a dignified burial.
WHY DID JESUS DIE?
Sadly, the events of Jesusâ passion and death were ´evitable´, but for excuses of the parties involved. The hostility of all parties was rationalized within the deniability of excuses. It was a conspiracy of evil over good
For Judas Iscariot, Jesus was a wordy Messiah without action a betrayal could poise him to action
For the High priest Cephas, one man should die in place of the many.
For the Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, High Priest, Priests and Elders Jesus was a religious blasphemer and impostor that they must do away with in order not to contaminate the religion.
For the soldiers who crucified Christ, they were only obeying or carrying out an order.
For the crowd, they were obedient to their religious and civil constituted authorities.
For Pontius Pilate, must to loyal to the emperor, and to Rome and therefore, must maintain law and order in his territory.
For the apostles and disciples who deserted Jesus, it is better to be saved before witnessing an ´uncertain´ Messiah.
For peter, self-preservation comes first to Christ and truth preservation.
IMPLICATIONS OF EXCUSES IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
Invariably. Christ continues to die in many aspects of our lives today, be it moral, cultural, social, ethical, or spiritual because of excuses from us Christians to be authentic witnesses to the gospel.
We live in a world where the majority of religious leaders and their followers cannot speak, accept or live by the truth. We around ourselves with the practice of religion devoid of true Christian spirit and truth. We rationalize and justify why we are and act the way we are with a series of excuses.
The truth is that we are not different or better than the characters in Jesus whom all gave excuses to have Christ crucified.
As we enter the Holy Week, let’s take out some time to meditate and reflect on the mysteries of our salvation: the passion, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The pain, suffering, and death on the cross were a conspiracy of excuses for the ´greater good´. Indeed, it was ironic.
Yet, an innocent, good and just man was condemned to a shameful and painful death just because the truth cannot be upheld by those who could. Today, sins, injustices, and evil are on the increase in our world and time. Why? All because of Excuses! We all have thousands of excuses, for why we cannot defend the course of good. May the Lord help us to understand that each excuse we make is a defeat of the Good and participation in the course which cost Christ his life, as well as many innocent people who suffer today in our world.
LIFE MESSAGES OR LESSONS FROM OUR REFLECTION TODAY
1) Let us not cause Jesus to weep over us. We need to imitate the prodigal son and return to God, our loving Father, through the Sacrament of Reconciliation during this last week of Lent.
2) We need to be fruit-producing and not barren fig trees. God expects each of us to produce fruits of holiness, purity, justice, humility, obedience, charity, and forgiveness. We should not continue to produce bitter fruits of impurity, injustice, pride, hatred, jealousy, and selfishness.
3) Let us not desecrate our hearts, and so prompt Jesus to cleanse them with His whip. Jesus cannot tolerate the desecration of the temple of the Holy Spirit (which we have become).
4) We need to welcome Jesus into our hearts in a special way during the Holy Week. We must be ready to surrender our lives to Jesus during this Holy Week and welcome Him into all areas of our life as our Lord and Saviour.
Let us prioritize and place Christ the King as the primary concern in our lives. It is only when we have done this that we will find true peace and happiness in our confused and complex world.
OUR PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, your suffering, passion, and death though unjust in all ramifications brought peace, victory and salvation to all who live under the bondage of sins, death, evil and the devil. May we never have the reason to be participatory in any evil under any false excuses and pretences for the greater good, out of sympathy or cowardice of standing for the truth and justice no matter the cost. Amen
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