Thought of the Day October 4, 2019 Jesus' example
Jesus prayed at the death
of Lazarus and at Lazarus' restoration to life.
We
too face deep moments of sorrow with others. Knowing that the hour had come to
enter into his paschal sacrifice as the Lamb of God, he prayed for his Apostles
that they would not be destroyed by his death but that they may know that they
may be one as they proclaimed the mystery of salvation. What a lesson for us when we face adversity —
as storm clouds gather in our lives!
As the hour of his
arrest and passion nears, Jesus goes to the Garden of Olives to prepare himself
for his final moments. His anguish was so intense that he sweat drops of
blood. What brought Jesus so much
anguish? It is possible what may have been his last temptation from the Evil
One, who may have said that Jesus’ cruel suffering and death by crucifixion
will make no difference in the lives of many who follow him. In response, Jesus
cries out: “Father, not my will by yours be done.”
The final embrace of
the Father’s will comes from the cross where he prays “Father, forgive them for
they do not know what they do.” For him to teach the necessity of forgiveness
and not live it at this moment would have been a mockery. Then he prayed: “My
God, my God why have you forsaken me?” This was not a cry of despair but of
total surrender to the will of the Father. And finally, he seals his yes to the
Father’s will with his total trust in the Father: “Into your hands, Father, I
commend my spirit.”
He has set an example for us.
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