As an affirmation of my faith, I say in silence as the priest raises the consecrated Precious Body after the words of Transubstantiation:
‘My Lord and my God! Help me to be one with You in all that I am and do in thought, word and deed, and in faith, hope and love. Help me, an unworthy servant, to be worthy.’
Easter, especially the Triduum, is a continuous historical and spiritual reminder to Christian believers of the greatest love story that ever happened in our reality nearly 2000 years ago. Without it, a massive amount of those would have no connection with God except at creation and at the end of one’s life for judgment. The years in between would be aimless based on one’s free-will decisions that may or may not lead to a relationship with God. The Blessed Trinity in their infinite wisdom provides a plan for each of us that circumvent what could have been a tragedy for all: A world without a Christian God who created us out of and for love.
It always amazes me in reading the Gospel at the Procession on Palm Sunday and in celebrating Holy Week how in the space of five days the people’s sentiment for Jesus goes from praise and joy to false accusations, a mock trial, physical torture and to death by crucifixion. Unfortunately, it does not surprise me. Man’s cruelty to humans seems to be an expectation accepted by most as to how one treats another based on frustration to selfishness being denied. I can hear people saying:
“Enough is enough. This itinerant preacher is preaching heresy to Moses’ Covenant with God. Let us turn him over to the Romans for torture and death. It is better to follow the Sanhedrin than this turmoil with a promise we cannot see fulfilled.”
Periodically, my wife accuses me of selective listening; especially when it concerns a point she is trying to make about something that I choose not to hear. My usual excuse for not hearing her, if I am still asked to respond, is that my tinnitus is so loud I could not make out what she said. In my defense, which is often true, but it does not excuse me from not responding in some fashion.
