Fr. Thomas M. Pastorius
March 19, 2017
Spiritual Ponderings
7 Last Words of Christ
Let us begin today’s reflection with a quote from Cardinal Thuan: “You have to make many sacrifices when you live in the midst of people who differ from you politically, socially, and ideologically. But look at the example of Jesus. He Who is God chose to live among humanity I thirty-three years of continual sacrifice.”
5. “I thirst” {John 19:28) Fulton Sheen in his book:
The Cross and Beatitudes: Lessons on Love and Forgiveness is quick to point out the following when it comes to Jesus’ thirst. “It was not a thirst for earthly waters, for the earth and its oceans were his. And when they offered him vinegar and gall as a sedative for his sufferings he refused it. It was therefore not a physical, but a spiritual thirst that troubled him—the thirst for the Beatitude of Justice—an insatiable thirst for the souls of human beings.”
Pope Benedict XVI in his book God is Love talks about the many different types of love in the world by talking about how the Greeks had seven words for love. Pope Benedict XVI talks about “agape love” which is the highest form of love because it is totally selfless. It is the love that wants what is best for the other even if it requires a sacrifice on our part. We know that God’s love is this way. He desires what is best for us. Pope Benedict XVI also writes about “eros love”. This love is best describe as a “possessive love”. I have to have it type of love that boards on infatuation. Finally, Pope Benedict XVI explains that in God these two love meet and perfect each other. God not only loves me and wants what is best for me but he desires (He thirsts) to be with me. This idea of Pope Benedict XVI has deepened my relationship with God because I realize that God does not just love me and thus tolerates me. He loves me and desires to be with me. As a child who was never chosen first for any team at recess growing up, I imagine God always choosing me first so much does He desire to have me as a part of His team. What does it mean to you to know that God not only loves you but also desires to be with you? He would literally rather die than be without you.
6. “It is consummated/finished.” (John 19:30)
Cardinal Thuan in his book: Road of Hope: A Gospel from Prison writes the following: “Don’t be discouraged by your failures. When you seek to do the will of God and meet with failure, that failure may be a success in God’s eyes because the outcome is as God desired. Look at the example of Jesus on the cross.”
It is my opinion that the first sin of Adam and Eve was not that they ate something against God’s will but that their disobedience rather was a manifestation of their doubt of God’s love for them. God had done so many things for them. He created the world, the plants & animals, He gave them a good home (Eden), and a meaningful job. All of these were things that were meant to demonstrate God’s love for them. The devil comes and with one question makes them doubt God’s love. Their act of disobedience was a sign of their new lack of trust in God. Instead of recalling all the good things God had done for them, they chose to believe the serpents suggestion that God was holding back on them. God’s answer to humanity’s doubts about God’s love for them was to send His Son into the world to show us that God would rather die than be without us. Jesus says through His death, that God loves us this much. Salvador Dali painted a picture of Jesus being crucified and he intentionally left the nails out of the painting. When asked why, Salvador Dali told people that it was not the nails that kept Christ on the Cross but rather His love for us.
I truly believe that one of the problems in our Church today is that we are filled with groups of people who give up too easily. St. Ignatius of Loyola in his rules of discernment warns Christians that desolation (the feeling of God’s absence) is a part of the Christian journey. Instead of giving up we need to stay the course and keep praying through the dry spell (desolation).