We have all heard the readings for today as we consider the suffering and death of Jesus. In my own prayer, I try to make concrete the explanation for this suffering offered by the biblical authors.
First, we need to be clear about why Jesus was killed. His basic message was that God loves all human beings, whether they deserve it or not. This made many people very angry. Jesus then went to those excluded and marginalized by religious authorities, and he announced this “Good News.” Most of those in power could not imagine a relationship with God that wasn’t transactional. I do this, you do that. I am good, you reward me. Instead, we are told, God is love, and the only question for us is whether we can respond “yes” to this presence of God in the world through how we treat others.
So, what “infirmities” and “sufferings” of ours did he bear? What “offenses” was he pierced for? How had we gone astray? Jesus is killed because we don’t embrace and live out the love of God in how we treat ourselves or others. Our infirmity is the inability to trust in this love. Our suffering is the disconnection we experience when we live outside of love. Our offense is that we trust our own power, privilege, or possessions more than we trust God.
Notice how the Passion narrative today begins with two betrayals of relationship. The first, by Judas, the second by Peter. Both had followed and listened to Jesus for years, and yet, both chose, in freedom, to forsake him. Judas believed he could not be forgiven and so, in despair, took his own life. Peter, conversely, maintained his faith in God’s love and returned to relationship with Jesus.
For both apostles, something was more important than the love of God made present in Jesus—and Jesus’ suffering came directly from that rejection. That rejection continues today when I value my security, my certainty, or my uniqueness above those of other human beings. When I stop willing the good of others (Christian love) because I live in fear, uncertainty, or insecurity, I reject my call to love others.
It gets worse. Even amid this rejection, Jesus still loves me. This rejection of Jesus, which comes from my freedom to choose who I become, is necessary if God is love. Love cannot be forced, it must be chosen, and even though I am made in the “image and likeness of God”—to give love (Father), receive love (Son) and share love (Holy Spirit)—so often I choose not to do what I was made for. The cross of Jesus represents the rejection of God’s love that the “world” demonstrates in so many dehumanizing ways.
And yet… someone had enough “faith” to believe that love was worth it—even to the point of dying. Jesus gave his absolute “Yes!” to love and paid for it absolutely with his life. We are “saved” because someone showed us the way! When scripture states that Jesus was “obedient” it means that he chose, with his freedom, to align his will with God’s love, even when the consequences for doing so were so brutal.
How often do I shy away from loving those around me because I don’t want to pay the price? Perhaps it is a loss of friendship that I fear, or a loss of wealth, a loss of status, or a loss of security. But outside of an existence determined by love—i.e., by God—do any of those really matter?
Tom Kelly
Thomas Kelly, Ph.D. is Professor of Theology and Director of the Christian Spirituality Program at Creighton University. He has been an Ignatian Associate for 21 years and parents four children with his wife Lisa.
