Father James Martin, S.J. on the Lessons of Good Friday -- Fr. James Martin, S.J., author of the new bestseller “Jesus: A Pilgrimage,” offers some potent insights into the meaning of Good Friday. He observes that, among many other lessons of this complex episode, the crucifixion story teaches that physical and emotional suffering are parts of ALL human life, even Jesus’. It teaches that such suffering and sorrow often have nothing to do “sin” and “just deserts, but are inherent incidents of the human condition we all share. Most importantly, it teaches that the suffering and sorrow each of us must confront in our own lives are frequently doorways to things that are new and holy. “The story of the passion is not simply of a man being brutally tortured, nailed to a cross and executed by the Romans. It is the story of a man who turns himself fully over to the Fathers will, trusts that something new will come out of this offering, and receives the astonishing gift of new life. The message of Easter is not only that Christ is risen, not only that suffering is not the last word, not only that God gives new life, but this: Nothing is impossible with God.”
Posted on: Fri, 18 Apr 2014 23:32:06 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015