Under the Weight of the Wood

This is the third in a series of Lenten reflections.

Today is Good Friday.  It was this day that all humanity was restored to the divine life of Paradise.  For this reason it is "good."  But it is also a somber day.  Our redemption came at a great price: the life of Our Savior.  I am reminded of the song Lord, Let Me Walk by Jack Miffleton that we sang during Lent when I was in grade school.  (find  lyrics here)

How ironic is the refrain:  "Freedom can be found, laden down, under the weight of the wood."  By His death, we have new life!  Original sin no longer chains us down, but we are now able to live as we were intended before the Fall.  We normally think of death as an ending and therefore having no power, but Christ's death and Resurrection opened Heaven's gate for eternal life. We have the power to form our lives to grow in truth and holiness.  Paragraph 1733 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church states that "the more one does what is good, the freer one becomes. There is no true freedom except in the service of what is good and just. The choice to disobey and do evil is an abuse of freedom and leads to "the slavery of sin."

 Jesus told His Apostles, that "no one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends."  (John 15:13)  Christ shows us our vocations as persons by giving Himself on the Cross.  He obeyed the will of the Father for our salvation, despite the sacrifice He knew it would be.  "Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me: still, not my will but yours be done." (Luke 22:42)  Our Lord suffered and died of His own free will.  "I lay down my life that I may take it again.  No man taketh it away from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. . ."  (John 10:18)  He chose to suffer and die this ignominious death not only to show us the horror of sin, but to show His love for us.  Only by gazing at the cross, do we learn the divine lesson that the way of the Cross is the only way for victory over sin.

Likewise, Pope John Paul II says that "man finds himself only when he makes a sincere gift of himself to others."  (Pope John Paul II-Gaudium et Spes, 24)  [True] love is self-giving and for the good of the other person. Yes, our inclination to sin still remains, but Jesus gave us the map to Heaven.  "If any man wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me."  (Luke 9:23)  This is the only way to true love, the only way to true happiness, the only way to a reward in Heaven.  "Freedom can be found, laden down, under the weight of the wood." 

Behold, the wood of the cross, on which is hung our salvation.  O come, let us adore.