I was reminded today of just how far down things can go in life, and how we just cannot ultimately rely on anything or anyone on earth.\u00a0 That sounds so fatalistic and depressive, I know, but bear with me for a moment.<\/p>\n
Driving along the highway this afternoon, following my GPS, it suddenly told me to take an exit off the highway.\u00a0 It seemed strange, as I was headed in the right direction.\u00a0 Yet, the GPS insisted that I take an exit and an off-route.\u00a0 I trusted it and took the turn.\u00a0 It led me down some service roads, then off another, away from the main highway.\u00a0 Coursing along an unknown boulevard, I began to realize that it was steering me onto a bridge that was free of tolls.\u00a0 Had I continued along the highway, it would have cost me $6.50.\u00a0 This alternate route was without traffic, off the beaten path, and free.\u00a0 Hooray!<\/p>\n
Almost on the ramp to the bridge, I saw flashing lights and police cars.\u00a0 They stopped all traffic onto the bridge, with me and my car at the head of the stoppage, and I thought that this wasn\u2019t a good route at all, and I would pay for my savings, with time stopped.\u00a0 Then I heard music \u2013 sad, Spanish music \u2013 from a loudspeaker.\u00a0 Then, a big flatbed truck came by, with a giant wooden cross with red draped velvet fabric over it, many white lilies all over the flatbed, and a statue of the broken Jesus Christ, being held in his mother, Mary\u2019s arms.\u00a0 Following the Passion Play float were hundreds of Spanish looking people, heads bowed, in silence, on parade.\u00a0 I remembered it was Good Friday.\u00a0 The day that Jesus Christ was crucified.<\/p>\n
I began to cry along with the parading faithful.\u00a0 How very sad that the Son of God Himself, a teacher of love and forgiveness was so totally betrayed.\u00a0 Someone so surely holy and beautiful, a teacher of ultimate kindness, an exemplar of righteousness, would be killed along with thieves.\u00a0 How could the world and its people be so cruel?\u00a0 How did the crucifixion happen some 2,000 years ago?\u00a0 And how can hatred and betrayal of love keep happing now, just like then?<\/p>\n
How could humankind crucify someone so loving?\u00a0 May be it\u2019s because Jesus Christ always spoke the truth and exposed the liars and cheats.\u00a0 Because He said to love God and leave family and other untrustworthy souls behind, to follow God.\u00a0 Because He advocated setting aside one\u2019s greed and wealth, and to give it all to the poor.\u00a0 Because His message of love was so powerful, the world couldn\u2019t handle it and had to be rid of Him.\u00a0 Jesus\u2019 message was that of radical love, and it was too much for the world to deal with, that\u2019s why.<\/p>\n
Yet, the injustice and horror of it all meant nothing to Jesus Christ.\u00a0 He trusted His Father completely, knowing that He would never be forsaken.\u00a0 He did what he knew had to be done to teach us all that infinite, unconditional, everlasting Love and to take the sins and errors on Himself so that we can be free: to be both fully human and Divine at the same time, and undergo the worst possible travesty that the world and humanity could bestow.\u00a0 He taught us that God\u2019s Love does prevail \u2013 the love and salvation with the Father, above and beyond the limits and betrayals of the world and us, the fallen.<\/p>\n
So I began to sob at the wheel of my car, at the police barrier, at the parade passing by.\u00a0 I cried for the amazing sacrifice and love that Jesus Christ gave us in His crucifixion.\u00a0\u00a0 I cried for the betrayal of all of us, by our families, our jobs, our loved ones, the false and graven images of a consumer culture.\u00a0 I cried for those who exploit and condemn.\u00a0 I cried for those who do their best to love, but are squashed down by jealously, hatred, envy, and the hurts and blows that are part of everyday living.<\/p>\n
Then my sad tears turned to tears of joy, knowing that the crucifixion and death although very real, are illusions, and worldly too.\u00a0 I remembered that the Cross wasn\u2019t Jesus\u2019 end, it was the beginning \u2013 what Easter is all about \u2013 the resurrection and transcendence of the pains and sorrow \u2013 freedom in God\u2019s Love from the errors and sins of all the world, and of death.\u00a0 I remembered that God is always here, with us, loving us, and saving us, now and forever.\u00a0 I remembered that Jesus Christ is risen, and will rise again and again, cheating and defying human death, living again, immortally and eternally, in the arms of our Creator, God.<\/p>\n
The parade passed by, the police waved me on, and I was over the bridge.<\/p>\n
I wish you a joyous and meaningful Easter, and Passover – Holy Week.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I was reminded today of just how far down things can go in life, and how we just cannot ultimately rely on anything or anyone on earth.\u00a0 That sounds so fatalistic and depressive, I know, but bear with me for a moment. Driving along the highway this afternoon, following my GPS, it suddenly told me…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":171,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,17,12],"tags":[44,68,79,77,74,48,43,64,46],"class_list":["post-1150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-inspiration","category-religion","category-spirituality","tag-christianity","tag-easter","tag-good-friday","tag-inspirational-quotes","tag-inspiring-quotes","tag-jesus","tag-jesus-christ","tag-love-2","tag-relationships-2"],"yoast_head":"\n