As we enter Holy week, perhaps the question that comes to mind is, if Jesus is God why did he have to suffer and die in order to save us? Well, one possible answer is that Jesus was not only suffering and dying to achieve our salvation but perhaps to give us hope when we are in the midst of our own suffering. Yes we believe that Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection opened the gates of heaven for us, but there is something else he gave us in His suffering. He gave us the assurance that no matter what suffering we endure in life, He is with us because he has suffered before us. Jesus is the only one who can truly say that He understands what we are going through at any given time because he has already suffered it. Jesus, who is God suffers along with us. The Lord could have taken the easy way out, but He didn’t.
God is love. But the only way to understand God’s love is to believe that he is with us when we are suffering as well as when times are good.
As we prepare for Holy Thursday and Good Friday and reflect on what the Lords passion let us do so with a grateful heart, recognizing that in His suffering He shows the depth of His love for us.
Happy Easter
Deacon John Martin
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