A Whole Lot of Trouble
“I am troubled. ” John 12: 27″Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” John 12:21″He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.”
Hebrews 5:9
Today throughout the Dioceses of the United States crosses and images are covered in the church. Crosses remain covered until Good Friday. Images and statues remain covered until the beginning of the Easter vigil. When this is carried out during lent, I always feel ill-at-ease. I am so familiar with the images surrounding the church, and not having the cross to venerate while meditating, praying the rosary, or the divine chaplet affects me. The cross gives me a sense of stability and rootedness in an otherwise crazy world. What does the cross mean to me? It is a sign of sacrifice, salvation, and a reminder that Jesus is the mediator between God and man. The source of eternal life.
I, like the Greeks in the gospel reading today, would like to see Jesus. The thought of not having Him is something I cannot comprehend. It gives me great comfort to bring my woes, hurts, problems, and love to the foot of the cross. Lent during the pandemic last year, left me spiritually wanting. It made me even more grateful for the church and especially the Eucharist. To be in His presence in the Tabernacle and being able to receive the body, blood soul and divinity of Christ during communion is such a gift.
The Greeks knew Jesus had the answer to eternal salvation and they sought Him out. Jesus was “troubled” because he knew what he would have to experience in his Passion. There was a price to pay and Christ paid it. Obedient to death on a cross.
In our own lives, we may be afraid, or dreading the pain or experience ahead of us in any given situation, Christ shows us to have courage and see it through, if it is indeed God’s will. Christ understands what being troubled is and that is why we can bring our own troubles to Him. Suffering and sacrifice is necessary to grow in the spiritual life.
In the second reading of Hebrews we are told that Christ was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him. Obedience, dying to self, discerning and doing God’s will is the way to perfection and everlasting life. This is the way of the saints. This is the way of Christ. Troubled or not it is the way we must follow if we wish to see Jesus