Holy Week

It always amazes me how the Jews were waiting for the Messiah for so many years and yet missed the most important moment when the Messiah actually came. After all they went through: slavery in Egypt, Diaspora in Babylon, wars with surrounding countries, they didn't recognize Him. But this probably shouldn't surprise me. The same happens to us.

The Jews expected a Messiah to bring freedom from Roman occupation. It was a political messiah, a leader that would make Israel great again. So by focusing on their earthly needs they missed Him when He finally arrived. We often make the same mistake. Without knowledge of the Holy Scriptures and separated from the Holy Sacraments so many catholics "know'' that Jesus should fulfill all their private needs. They are looking for a Jesus that will heal them from illness, give success in business, will take care of daily problems, accept our wrongdoings, etc. The only Jesus that many people are not looking for is the real Jesus Christ.

The real Jesus Christ came to give up His own life for us. He did it in the most painful and dishonored way. Stripped from human dignity, He showed us what really happens to us when we live in sin.

Naked and bruised, with dripping blood, He revealed to us how our soul looks like when it goes into the darkness of a sinful life. He took all this ugliness of evil upon Himself.

This Holy Week we will have to face the reality of the most difficult truth. If we are not with Jesus Christ our soul is suffering, but not for salvation. It is suffering because it lost the beauty of innocence. Our soul is looking for something to give it hope, but this world cannot give us hope. Our soul is looking for consolation, but it cannot find rest here. Our soul is looking for peace, but it cannot calm down surrounded by darkness.

The only hope, rest, and peace we have is in Jesus Christ, the real one, saying "Nobody can come to the Father except through me."