which taketh away the sin
of the world! - John 1:29
Jesus Christ approached his coming sacrificial death in the first Holy Week with a sharp awareness of what was about to happen, but at the same time with a deep and abiding serenity and peace of mind.
How could he possibly do that? How serene would we be knowing that we faced certain death -- death by a cruel and hideous torture on the Cross?
Well, he knew who he was, who had sent him, & what he had to do. We see a clear picture of this in The Holy Gospel According to St John, which the Church reads throughout Lent & Holy Week. Jesus said, before his arrest and trial:
"For this reason the Father loves me: because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from my Father." (John 10:17-18)
The wondrous beauty of what Jesus does for us on the Cross, is that he does it freely and willingly! And he does it for you and me, unworthy sinners that we are.
Recently we were all moved and inspired by the story of Shannon Wright, the Arkansas teacher and mother who lay down her life by taking a bullet to protect her students in that awful shooting. She saved them from physical suffering and death. In that great act of selfless heroism we can see a reflected image of what Jesus does for all of us. His love goes the distance, all the way to the Cross where he bore, once & for all time, the sins of the whole world On Calvary Jesus 'took a bullet' for all of us, to save us from dying in our sins. He, the sinless one, died in the sinners' place -- yours & mine. Let us, therefore, give him our thanks and praise this Holy Week -- and always!