When we contemplate Christ on the cross, we must ask ourselves, “Why?”
If we read the letters of Saint Paul, we find some clues to the answer:
In Romans: Jesus died on the cross entirely of his own free will, and he did it so that humanity would cease to be “carnal” and become “spiritual.”
In Galatians and Corinthians: Jesus died to give us “life” and to reconcile humanity with God, so that we might be reconciled with one another. He also affirms in Galatians that he chose to die to deliver us from sin and make us children of God.
In general terms, the letters of Saint Paul state that Jesus died on the cross to reveal the love of God to us, for being estranged from Him through original sin, He sent us His Son so that we might be brought closer and reconciled.
In the Gospel of John, we can also find another answer to the question, “Why did Christ die on the cross?”: because of the great love He has for the Father and the great love He has for us. That is why it is the greatest act of love: giving one’s life for others.
For this reconciliation between God and humanity, a small gesture would have sufficed for our redemption, but He accepted the most ignominious death, like that of the death of criminals and of the death of the marginalized in order to:
- Show us how much God loves us
- Show us how important we are to Him
- Tell us that salvation is achieved through humility and perseverance in trials, by being faithful and obedient to God’s will
- Also, show that it is a “free” act, because He did not die on the cross to gain something, but simply and plainly out of selfless love.
We cannot remain passive, as mere spectators, before the spectacle of the cross; we must do something. What? To be united with Him, to die with Him, and then to rise with Him.
But to die to what? To all that is carnal: selfishness, envy, revenge, lack of solidarity, criticism, backstabbing, and everything that bothers or harms others, in order to rise to what is spiritual: to the love of God and neighbor, as ourselves.
What did Christ commit to dying on the cross:
1- To reconcile ourselves with God, that is, we must rely on God in all aspects of our lives: at work, in leisure, in happiness, and also when we have problems or difficulties, illnesses, or death.
2- To learn to live as children of God and to treat everyone as children of God, and not to marginalize or single anyone out because of political, religious, or social ideologies, for we are all His children, with the same dignity and status.
3- To live according to the Father’s will and place ourselves in His hands, as Christ did on the cross.
4- To live a simple life, without believing I am worth more than others, without pretending to be something I am not or possessing something I am not, and without looking down on others because they are not like me.
5- Do not run away from God when pain, suffering, or any setback visit us, but rather “be” like the Virgin Mary at the foot of the cross, who “stood there in silence.”
6- Offer what we are and have to others freely, without expecting anything in return, showing solidarity with everyone, with those who suffer and with those who rejoice.
7- Be people of peace and peacemakers, and do not go through life igniting violence, tension, and war.
The death of Christ on the cross calls us to cleanse the world of its errors so that evil may be transformed into good; it also engages us with the Church, our communities, and our families so that they may be more evangelical and more missionary, and thus be witnesses to God’s love for all.
Fr. Paulino CPPS.