My mind is blown away by
the fact that we have crucified the God-Man, God disguised in human form, God
incarnate. How could we possibly have tortured the Son of Man, mocked Him with
a crown of thorns, beat His body to pulp, made Him, after the loss of
significant blood, to carry a heavy cross on which He would be nailed and left
to die. How could we ever have done such
a horrible thing!
This disobedience of Adam
and Eve, the mistrust of God by our first parents, the repeated rebellion of God’s people,
including all of us, since the beginning
of the world is absolutely mind-bottling.
In this week’s news alone we are shown a group of kids forcing another
kid to strip naked and then flogging him with their belts, a young man robs a
young mother and shoots her toddler in the head, a white supremist kills
several people on a murderous spree, a double homicide
followed by the suicide of a Marine in his barracks Thursday night, dozens of
people killed in clashes between Buddhists and Muslims in the city of Myanmar today,
the Syrian civil war that has
left thousands dead, homeless, and orphaned; and on and on throughout the world
we read of modern day “crucifixions”. “What
you do to the least of my brethren, you do unto me” (Mt. 25:45), Jesus tells
us. Yes, Jesus’ passion and crucifixion
happens repeatedly throughout the world every single day.
And on the cross Jesus’
first words are “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing” (Lk
23:34). To the thief who turns to Him and says: “Remember me when you get into
your kingdom” (Lk 23:42) Jesus says: “This day you will be with me in Paradise”
(Lk 23:43). Those are the same words Jesus says to any one of us when we turn
to Him in our agony, our sinfulness, our criminality: “Father forgive them;
they know not what they are doing” and, to repentant sinners begging for mercy
who recognize the injustice they have done to others, “This day you will be
with me in Paradise.”
God, truly is a God “of tenderness and compassion, slow to
anger, rich in faithful love and constancy, maintaining his faithful love to thousands, forgiving
fault, crime and sin….” (Exodus 34: 6-7) yet demanding justice for all. That justice meant that one equal to God
would be the only one who could atone for our rebellion against God. That
justice is what we see on Calvary. That justice is also what is in play
following our sinful behavior—the consequences we endure as the result of our
sin is our opportunity to make amends, to atone for the injustice that occurred
when we hurt others, when we are violent toward others in our words and actions.
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