There was once when I was still in school, my friend and I were up to some mischief. Only the two of us knew the “secret” of this little prank that we decided to pull on one of our teachers. But somehow, the teacher found out and questioned my friend and without any persuasion (I think) he told the teacher everything and that I was also involved in that prank. I felt so angry with him because we had made a pact not to tell anyone no matter what. I felt so betrayed and I remember not talking to him for many months.
Similarly, many of us would have had some experience of “betrayal”. It could be that someone close had back-stabbed you, someone whom you considered a close friend had gone and leaked a problem you had shared, someone whom you trusted and lent some money to and who now pretends not to know you… we all have had some form of trust being broken, confidence shattered, or maybe even been the cause of such “betrayal”.
Today our churches are overflowing with people and we have come to focus on the Cross. The Cross in itself portrays some sense of betrayal. Not only has Judas betrayed Jesus but humanity itself has done the same. God the Father sent Jesus to manifest how perfect His love for us is but we have betrayed him:
My people, what have I done to you?
Or how have I grieved you? Answer me!
Because I led you out of the land of Egypt;
You have prepared a Cross for your Saviour.
Because I led you out through the desert forty years and fed you with manna and brought you to the land of plenty,
You have prepared a Cross for your Saviour.
What more should I have done for you and have not done?
(taken from the Reproaches of Good Friday)
The Cross is not only about betrayal but the Cross is more of a symbol of love. One may wonder how is this possible? The Cross at the time of Jesus only brought about pain (gruesome death) and shame (reserved for criminals). However, at the start of Jesus’ final Passover with His disciples, we heard in the gospel passage of Holy Thursday that Jesus wanted to show how perfect His love was. Not only was the washing of the feet a sign of love and service but the Cross is also part of the perfect love that Jesus was going to demonstrate. It is no doubt a painful way to show but it was the way that was going to make a lasting impact on the disciples. Jesus had “fears” about embracing the Cross and that is why He prayed to His Father to take it away but He understood that He would not be alone in all of this. The Cross had to be the way!
Along the road of life, we too at times have to carry crosses…some big, some small, some heavy, some light. As much as we try to avoid or run away from it, we know it is not possible. Sometimes when the load gets too much, we challenge God asking, Do you not love me? When there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel, faith in God weakens. In some ways, Jesus in His humanity felt exactly the same when He cried out to the Father, “My God my God, why have you forsaken me?” The pain was too much to bear.
No one wants anything bad to happen to us or our families… no sickness, no untimely death, no disasters, that is why when we sometimes say something that we wish would not happen we quickly say “touch wood” (some traditions say that the origin of this saying is that the wood refers to the wood of the Cross). But we cannot escape these realities and it is not that God does not love us but they are human realities that we cannot avoid. But yet in all of this, God does want to show us His love. How is it possible we ask?
It is possible when we choose to assist one another to carry the Cross. The washing of the feet yesterday reminded us that Jesus chooses to exercise the power of His love through service. It is when we choose the same model that Jesus asked us to do likewise that God’s power of love enters our life. As we reflected yesterday, society is becoming more and more self-centered. The Cross today reminds us that Christ’s self-giving of His life is what a disciple is called to.
Sometimes we are so engrossed with our own concerns that we forget that someone else may have greater needs. The need may not be monetary but something that does not involve money:
• Parents may want a little more understanding from their children;
• Children may want some trust and patience from parents;
• Wife may want some appreciation from husband (vice versa);
• The domestic help / foreign worker (cashier in supermarket, garbage collector, waiter in restaurant) may want some respect and courtesy;
• Elderly parents may want some understanding while they try cope with health issues;
• Single parents may want acceptance in community / neighbourhood;
• Someone may just want a listening ear and not being judged.
If we can only try and address some of the emotional needs of many people, the Cross becomes lighter and life become more bearable. Our celebration reminds us that the Cross is not the end, but the light of the resurrection is at the end of the tunnel. All we need to do is to support, encourage, hold hands…and walk towards that LIGHT who is Jesus Christ! All of us need to be supported in various ways and it is only when we can throw out our pride and sense of judging others; because when Jesus died on the Cross, He died with no pride, did not judge His persecutors and all He had was compassion and love which was shown when He offered His mother to the beloved disciple. Let’s put aside our differences (race, creed, status, gender) and hold hands (clinging to the wood of the Cross) moving towards Jesus, the light of the world!
