Jesus transformed the cross as a sign of victory
He who believes in me will never die (John 11:25)
There is a story about the Greek Philosopher Socrates (469-399 B.C.) who, having been sentenced to death by poisoning on account of his revolutionary ideas, asked his jailer to teach him the catchy tune he was singing shortly before his execution was to take place. Surprised, the jailer asked him, “Why do you want to learn it when you are about to die?” to which Socrates responded, “so that I may die with more wisdom” and then proceeded to repeat the ditty.
Millions of men and women spend their existence complaining about everything no matter the place or circumstances. Others go through this life barely noticeable because they live at the impulse of dominant circumstances. Fortunately there are also millions of women and men who are born into this world and who spend their lives thanking those who gave them the chance to live.
These men and women tirelessly seek to perfect what they have received and are always open to being surprised in their search for truth. They walk with peace and serenity, which allows them to find true wisdom in their hearts. They leave the world a better place and remain alive in the hearts of those they have touched. The good they did lives on for many generations. These deceased continue on, full of life because they are overflowing with it.
I think that Jesus the Lord could have been included within this third group while he lived among us. Jesus presented himself as the one who had come into the world so that we “might have life and have it in abundance.” (John 10:10) He had life in abundance because he knew how to love everyone, even those who sentenced him to death. He did not allow himself to be poisoned by hate, violence, rejection, exclusion or betrayal. The abundant life of Jesus was possible because he possessed divine life as the Word of God. He knew how to take our humanity upon himself, joyfully drinking it to the last drop so that he could transmit to us divine and immortal life in abundance.
Our life of faith is marked with the sign of the cross. Two thousand years ago, just looking at the symbol of the cross caused horror. With his life among us and his death upon that same instrument of horror, Jesus transformed the cross into a symbol of victory, he changed it into the antidote against the deadly venom of hate. The abundance of his life spilled out upon the cross covering the rough edges of the wood so that it became an easy yoke, a yoke that attracts those who contemplate it. (Matthew 11:30; John 12:32)
The revolutionary ideas of Jesus regarding unlimited forgiveness and our universal fraternity as children of the same God and Father also sentenced Jesus to be crucified on a cross. A shameful death to end his earthly existence. Only the overabundance of love in the heart of Jesus made him transform that instrument of torture into a radiant and victorious throne of life that never ends.
The Holy Father, Pope Francis has said that we cannot live our lives like Lent without Easter, and he is absolutely right. Because without the Easter Resurrection, the cross is only destructive death. For those of us who believe, the cross cannot exist without Christ nor Christ without a cross. Indeed, Jesus must exist with the cross he lovingly embraced in order to destroy death, in order to build a new life, a resurrected life.
The goal of our earthly pilgrimage is the resurrection of Christ. As he leaves the tomb, Jesus fill us with new life. His resurrection fills us with joyful enthusiasm as we carry our personal crosses and those of the world. His resurrection fills us to the brim with joyful hope so that we may continue to create new ways of forgiveness, fraternity, tenderness, service and purity.
Like Mary at the foot of the cross, let us unite our sacrifice to the sublime sacrifice of Jesus so that the barren wood may burst, pouring out joy and salvation in our midst and even unto the ends of the earth.
Happy deaths full of life! A blessed and happy Easter!
This is an English translation of a column that originally appeared in Spanish in the April 2015 issue of NORTHWEST CATHOLIC.