The Christian Calendar has entered the season of Lent. Lent comprises of the preparation for Easter. It should be a solemn time of reflection of what the cross means. What does it mean that we place the incarnate love on a cross? It was not only that we killed off love, but had to go out of our way to torture and taunt love in such a public manner before we killed it off. We despise love so much, even when we chant about its glory.
After a certain age, most of us die to the idea of having love in our lives. We all wear the scars of failed love or people failing us. We develop defensive mechanisms to keep us away from the suffering that love always seems to bring. We make love a Hollywood dream never to be obtained in our everyday life. Yet, we never give up our longing for it. We all live in the shadow of the cross. So, some of us pretend that we are OK. Some of get mad and then find a target for our anger. Some of us get mad and take it out on the people living next to us. This is the source of much seduction which violence brings. We build a fort of safety, and die alone and abandoned — but safe. Some get addicted to being right and build a fort of ideology to throw rocks from. Some substitute drinking, sex or other obsessions to beat back the despair that a loveless life brings. Some of us grow numb and call our lack of passion wisdom.
Yet, God in Christ rejects all of these and many more. In Jesus, we find love that risks the cross. Jesus comes to love us by being with us, knowing full well we will reject his offer and again kill off love. Jesus says take up our cross. Choosing love will bring suffering and it will also bring Easter and new life and new being. Reject love and you will keep your heart safe, but it will be cold and lifeless. Suffering will come anyway. Reject love and the cross and Easter will be just a day on the calendar to be alone. Picking up the cross and choosing love and life remains as the only choice possible. We killed off love, thinking ourselves greater than the power of love. Jesus resurrects on Easter, shattering our illusions and again proving love the strongest force in Creation. Pick up our crosses means choosing life over death.
