Quincuagesima Sunday
Lk. 18, 31-43
“The Mystery of the Cross”
The Apostles were perplexed at what Jesus told them was going to happen in Jerusalem. The mystery of the Cross has always been a stumbling block and considered folly by Jews and Gentiles. Things have not changed in our days. We run from the suffering. We avoid the Cross at all cost. It even happens that there are shepherds in the Church who preach against the Cross. The Neocatechumenal Movement denies the salvific suffering of Christ on the Cross. John Paul II used to say that Christ didn´t save us by the Cross, but by his Incarnation.
The Modernist Church rejects suffering and sin, preaching only well-being and comfort. Christianity is now made to fit man´s whims; designed to bring him only comfort.
Modern catechesis finds itself at a loss when trying to explain suffering; saying that it is an inexplicable phenomenon… such talk is blasphemy. St. Paul already said in his letter to the Phillipians that «many behave as enemies of the Cross of Christ.» These people are only interested in the search of pleasure. But, to flee from the Cross is to flee from love, and when man flees from love, he only destroys himself.
Suffering can only be explained through faith; without faith, it has no meaning. The mystery of the Cross is a mystery of love. Christ gave His life for us on the Cross. Our failures and sufferings make sense when looked at from the point of view of love. A Christian must share Christ´s life, and if Christ died because of his love for us, we must follow that same destiny out of love for him. Two people who love each other desire to share the same destiny. The problem lies in understanding what love is; real love, true love. If there is no understanding of love, there can be no understanding of the Cross.
