Holy Week

A Good Friday Reflection: “It is finished.”

/ ramlopez64 / Leave a comment

It is finished.

The grueling ordeal is finally over.

The beginning of the end was less than 24 hours ago. Yet, it felt like forever and no time at all. The physical and emotional swings Jesus experienced were a torment all their own. The whip’s lash stung. But, it did not sting as much as the condemning words from the crowds. Grief plus lacerated skin is a truly terrible combination.

Jesus knew in the depths of his soul how his Divine Mission would end. He knew that this journey into Jerusalem would be his final one. The whispers were all around. He noticed Judas going missing and turning up with an odd demeanor. He watched the disciples in twos and threes talking in hushed voices, their whole countenance revealing fear. The religious authorities were either overly friendly or very distant when Jesus was near. And they were foolish to think Jesus did not notice them abruptly stop talking when he was nearby.

He was very familiar with the history of the treatment of prophets in Jerusalem. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!,” he had lamented. “How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Luke 13.34)

He knew the blood thirsty Roman death machine was always ready to jump into action. Arrest, torture and death was always a possibility when one dared speak up and speak out against the political powers of the day. Sadly, Jerusalem was the birthplace of many martyrs.

Yet, Jesus was still surprised when Judas betrayed him. Jesus had hopes that Judas would come around to the message of Divine Love, that his heart would soften. He was not willing to give up on Judas. Even now he would not.

And, he knew Peter would waffle under pressure. What surprised him was that all the disciples abandoned him to run and hide. This broke his heart. The only comfort was knowing that John the beloved, who stayed with him, would care for his blessed mother in her grief.

His mother. That brought a lump to his throat and tears to his eyes. He recalled all of her stories about his birth. About his early years. About his father Joseph whom he barely remembered. About all their struggles. About all the strange sayings of old prophets, prophetesses and others (at least they were strange back then). About the prophesied sword that was obviously piercing his mother’s soul as he looked at her. It was knowing the depth of her pain that was most unbearable for Jesus. Worse even than the crown of thorns and nails.

Nearing the end more moments flashed. Times with friends. Late night discussions with the disciples. Parties and dinners. The public debates with the religious authorities. Prayers powerfully answered through healings and exorcisms – by Lazarus walking out of his tomb after being dead four days. Life, he reflected, had been a wonderful adventure of living with God, with others, in the midst of this world.

Now, after just a few moments of feeling bitterly betrayed and abandoned by his Heavenly Father, he remembered the Voice from Heaven, rumbling like a Holy Thunder reminding him of his mission, of God’s glory about to be revealed. The Voice reminding him, God’s beloved Son, that he is never, ever alone, that everything he has done, every minute of his life, has been for the glory of God, for the salvation of the world.

He lived his life for the glory of God and the salvation of the world. The answered prayers and the public debates. The deep discussions and the little jokes he used to pull on Peter. The parties and the prayer time. EVERY minute, EVERY moment for the glory of God and the salvation of the world.

As the pain numbed his body and his eyelids grew heavy, he felt a peace. If he could move his facial muscles he might even smile. In that moment of growing weakness and gathering darkness he realized that he had fulfilled his mission. HE HAD FULFILLED HIS MISSION. He had done it. He had fulfilled his Father’s will. He lived out his mission fully. He had held back nothing. Whatever happened next was in God’s hands. Whatever happened next would be beyond good and holy and right. It was God’s move now.

Jesus felt a small rush of energy pulse through him. It filled his heart. The sensation caused him to take in a large gulp of breath. He wanted everyone to know what he knew. He wanted everyone to know that he had accomplished his mission. And he wanted everyone to hold on to the hope that God’s next move was going to be world-changing. God’s final, victorious move was about to happen.,

With his last bit of energy and his last breath he offered his final word of Good News:

It. Is. Finished.

Slowly his eyes closed and…

Children of the Light: A Holy Week Reflection

/ ramlopez64 / Leave a comment

Jesus said, “While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.” (John 12.36)

Jesus said, “I am the Light of the World.”

He is the Light by which we see. Everything.

Just as everything that was made was made through Christ, everything we see we see by His Light. By this Christ Light we can see not just the forms and features of the world, we can see Truth and Life and the Way.

If we choose to do so at least.

We are inundated everyday from morning to night with image after image after image. The images are not random images either. They are carefully curated and presented to us based on previous purchases, likes, and shares. In a world of Artificial Intelligence, anything is possible.

Anything is possible – but not everything is real, not everything truth or fact.

We need Light to see reality as it is. We need Light to see ourselves as we are. We need Light. We need Jesus.

We need Jesus as he is portrayed in the Gospels – sent by the Creator God who created Creation. We need Jesus who is on a highly urgent rescue mission to save and restore God’s hurting, dying world. We need Jesus whose every word and action embodies God’s Way, Truth and Life. We need Jesus who was and is and always will be a life giving alternative to the death-dealing ways of power and empire.

As “children of the Light” we see the world for what it is. As “children of the Light” we see power and empire for what it is. As “children of the Light” we see others as they are. As “children of the Light” we see ourselves as we are – as we truly are, even if it hurts.

Our greatest temptation is to prefer the comfort-rich, conflict-free space of the shadows. In the shadows we can embrace half-truths about our world, about each other, about ourselves. In the shadows, we can believe but not trust; confuse help with love; see others as enemies not siblings.

As we embrace ourselves as “children of the Light” not only do we begin to see everything more clearly but others see in us the beauty of God’s Love for the world. Our words matter little when uttered from the shadows. The shadows, after all, are a cacophony of useless noise about one thing or another. In the Light, there is only God’s Truth, only God’s Word, only God’s Life – Jesus himself.

In the Light our lives reflect the love of God embodied in Christ Jesus. In the Light we discover there is only an abundance – the more of our love, ourselves that we give away, the more we have. In the Light each of our lives becomes one facet of many providing a glimpse of the beauty of God’s love.

In the Light we begin to understand that we are more, much more, than mere reflections of Christ the Light. In the Light we learn that we are a part of the Light, that we share very deeply the Divine Life of Him who willingly entered the Darkness and Shadows to light the way out eternally.

In the Light we find Life – for us, for all, for eternity.

A Holy Week Reflection: Extravagance

/ ramlopez64 / 1 Comment

Extravagance is an invitation. We are invited to consider how we hold back. Are we holding back in any part of our lives; in the ways we show up in life?

Consider extravagance in our daily life and work. In a world of busyness and unceasing demands, we might think that sturdier boundaries are what is needed. Extravagance seems unrealistic. What makes more sense is cutting back, saying “no” to a few things. Certainly, being extravagant with our time and energy seems counterintuitive.

Perhaps extravagance in daily life and work is not about time and energy. Perhaps it is about showing up whole heartedly. Perhaps it is about embodying peace in frantic places. Perhaps it is slowing down internally even as the world zooms by. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” (Matthew 5.9) Extravagance is overfilling those around us with a peace that is outside of one’s understanding but which brings the blur into focus; which slows the world down just a bit, where everything seems possible.

Or, we can consider extravagance in our relationships. Far too often in our attempts to keep up with this fast-paced life we sacrifice moments with those closest to us; with those whom we love the most. Our unintended neglect is easily understood. Busyness reigns this world, it seems. It is easy to say, “just this once” and “I will be free next time, I promise.”

What if there is no next time?

Life can change in an instant. Our lives can, without warning, feel the crashing waves of tragedy and loss. We can, in one moment, have all our plans perfectly outlined and, in the next, find those plans obsolete and unusable. Mary’s extravagant act of pouring ointment on the feet of Jesus is a reminder to us of this reality. Soon, very soon, Jesus himself will be lifted upon the cross and Mary’s whole life will change. She knows this – she has already lost her brother, Lazarus, once. She knows the uncertainty and frailty of life. She loves Jesus without hesitation. She pours the whole container of oil on Jesus’ feet as an outward symbol of her own love lavishly poured upon Jesus. She knows better than anyone at table the shortness of life and the need to be extravagant with those whom she loves while she can.

As we move through this Monday in Holy Week consider extravagance. Accept the invitation to extravagance. Allow extravagance to fill your heart, mind and body. Put aside the temptation to hold back parts of our lives from the world around us. Give your love away extravagantly RIGHT NOW. Do not take tomorrow for granted.

Be extravagant today. Pour yourself out as a loving, healing oil of joy and love wherever you find yourself. Share your love extravagantly with all whom you love.

Soon, very soon, the days are coming when moments for extravagant tenderness will give way to grief. Soon, very soon, extravagance will enter the tomb of desolation with Jesus until the new day arrives.