CCC 117 “Who is responsible for the death of Jesus?” is a question we all should answer by appreciating the sacrifice Jesus made to set us free from sin. The CCC 117 further said, “The passion and death of Jesus cannot be imputed indiscriminately either to all the Jews that were living at that time or to their descendants. Every single sinner, that is, every human being is really the cause and the instrument of the sufferings of the Redeemer, and the greater blame in this respect falls on those above all who are Christians and who the more often fall into sin or delight in their vices.” For further reading, see CCC 595-598.

     If you are for Christ, let it reflect in your character wherever you go. If for any reason you create a gap between you and God and say, “God will understand!” then the devil will creep in and lead you to unrighteous life which you will regret later. Our first parents, Adam and Eve experienced this when they ate the forbidden fruit. Cain, after killing his brother Abel also experienced the afflictions that occurred after that incident. And until we reflect on these cases with all sincerity we may not make much efforts to avoid same misfortune.

     Jesus said to us in Luke 12:36-37, 40, “Be like men who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. Happy those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. You too must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” 

      That you are a Christian does not exempt you from having challenges. Abraham, the father of faith went through untold hardships: He even went to the extent of presenting his son, Isaac for a sacrifice in obedience to God. This act of faithfulness so pleased God that He had to replace Isaac with a ram unexpectedly for the sacrifice. How many of us can do what Abraham did to earn that tittle, “The father of faith? But often times, we sing proudly sing that song, “Abraham’s blessings are mine, Abraham’s blessings are mine! I am blessed in the morning and blessed in the evening, Abraham’s blessings are mine. What a shame! Lord please forgive us each time we claim to be who we are not!

     Unlike Abraham, each time we ask God for a favor and we are denied that favor, we grumble and threaten to abandon our faith in God. When Jesus was in agony He prayed that His Father’s will be done. Today, when we are faced with oppositions, we ask that our will be done. Let us make efforts to learn from Jesus to enable us follow His footsteps especially when we are making decisions.

     God in His infinite goodness decided not to condemn or kill us because of our sins hence He sent His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ to atone for our sins in a way we never expected. If Jesus had abandoned the cross as men abandoned Him on Calvary, we would have been nowhere today. “No Cross, no Crown!” Jesus was extremely patient with us on that Good Friday. So, be patient also in your tribulations while you look up to the Father as Jesus did. Such that when He raises you up, people will say, “Surely, this man is a child of God”. Saint Augustine of Hippo said, “Patience is the companion of wisdom.”

     As I said earlier, Jesus prayed during His agony in the garden before He was arrested. If we meditate seriously on the 14 Stations of the Cross, we will feel the effect of the sacrifice He went through and appreciate our redemption.  The Church in her wisdom gave us the opportunity to see for ourselves what Jesus went through on that Good Friday for our sake as our Saviour right before Our Blessed Mother Mary.

     In this season of Lent, have you benefitted from the Stations of the Cross? Most of us have been given reasons why we missed out this holy exercise forgetting that this is a special privilege to walk with Jesus to Calvary. One of the ways you can encounter Jesus and appreciate His sacrifice for our sins is to listen to His voice as documented in each of the stations without distractions.

     As you read or hear His words, meditate seriously on them to enable you absolve them for real. Let these words penetrate your heart and you will feel as if the event was taking place right there. Imagine how Jesus was feeling while experiencing those pains as well as the impart they were having on Our Mother Mary and the disciples too. Then, place yourself in their positions.

     When all is over, carry the sorrows in your heart and avoid distractions from all around you and go home prayerfully. This done, you will not be the same again nor go empty handed as you realize that Jesus truly embraced a violent death on the Cross to pay the penalty on our behalf. At this point in time, the hymns “All to Jesus I surrender!” and “Jesus who died for me and pay the price of sin” or other similar songs will fill your lips.

For the rest days of our lives, please let us appreciate all the sacrifices Jesus Christ made for our redemption. We should also thank Mother Mary for the sorrows she endured during the crucifixion of her Son, Jesus Christ.