In the cross of Jesus

… In the cross of Jesus Catherine discovered not the repugnant horror of death pushing us away, but the gracious face of love drawing us close. No human power nailed Jesus to the cross, for earthly forces could not bind him to the wood had his own love not held him fast (Letter T 253 to Trincio De’ Trinci da Fuligno and Corrado his brother). A tortured death thus paradoxically shines as the revelation of the most profound beauty: “He bows his head to greet you, wears the crown of thorns to adorn you, stretches out his arms to embrace you, lets his feet be nailed that he may stand with you” (Dialogue - Ch. 128). Raised on high before the gaze of the entire universe, the cross of Jesus unveils infinite love vulnerable to the last measure of self-giving, as love alone shines forth from every part of Jesus’ torn body.

Yet the source of love, Jesus’ heart, no one could see. … 

Mary Ann Fatula, Catherine of Siena’s way, p.124-125

To go or not to go

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John: (11, 45-57)

Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what he had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council, and said, ‘What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation.’ But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, ‘You know nothing at all! You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.’ He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was about to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the dispersed children of God. So from that day on they planned to put him to death.

Jesus therefore no longer walked about openly among the Jews, but went from there to a town called Ephraim in the region near the wilderness; and he remained there with the disciples.

Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. They were looking for Jesus and were asking one another as they stood in the temple, ‘What do you think? Surely he will not come to the festival, will he?’ Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus was should let them know, so that they might arrest him.

This is the word of the Lord. 

Listen on: http://word.op.org/2012/03/31/ 

To go or not to go, this is the question three types of people asked in this selection from the Gospel written by John.