Reflection by Rev. Jose Zuniga
|
In the midst of a busy city, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is an unimposing church hidden by buildings, practically camouflaged. This church from the outside is unimpressive from my point of view, but once you step inside the church, it is filled with mosaics that speak of the Lord’s passion. You are left in awe and wonder as you walk around the church and are surrounded by people of all types, from Muslims to Jews; from Christians to non-Christians. Many people go there either out of curiosity or devotion. Regardless of their intention, they take in all the views and wonder why so much time and effort was put to building a beautiful church for someone who walked two-thousand years ago.
|
Climbing up a certain staircase, you reach the Hill of Calvary, Golgotha, the very spot where Jesus was crucified. As I reflect back on that spot, I think to myself: “Wow, this is quite unimpressive.” What I mean by that is that if you strip away the beautiful art, the candles, the smells, the altars, all you are left with is a very small hill surrounded by bigger, more impressive hills. One might think to themselves “Should not have God, in order to show His grandeur, have decided to be displayed on a bigger hill? I mean He is going to bring about the Salvation of the world, why do it on this hill?”
|
Hung by nails, bleeding, suffocating, mocked, and in immense pain. Where is His grandeur? Where is His power? Where is the Jesus that impressed everyone for the three years leading up to that point? It just does not make any sense! Yet, therein lies the beauty, I think. In essence, God is simple. So, it should follow that what He does is simple. So simple, that He did not desire to display His power per se, by doing something grandiose. Instead, He chose to be crucified on a simple hill and through that act bring about the salvation of the world. A horrible crucifixion, a simple plan of salvation. A simple lent.
|
I think many of us fall into the trap of wanting to have a grandiose lent, one that will spiritually change us to be saints. Some might think that that comes with great fasts, hours of prayer, and non-stop charity. But I think a simple lent, a simple fast, a simple prayer can more than make us into saints. Like Christ, who chose to be crucified on a simple, unimpressive hill, our lent can be simple and unimpressive. His crucifixion on that one spot led to the changing of history in a very dramatic fashion. One simple lent can lead to our dramatic transformation into saints. The key to that is desiring it. Christ desired the salvation of the world and He accomplished it. If we desire to be saints, Christ will accomplish it and it can be through a simple, unimpressive lent.
|
|
|
| Rev. Jose Zuniga, '22 is a priest for the Diocese of Paterson, N.J.
|
|
|
This email was sent to
400 South Orange Avenue | South Orange, NJ 07079 US.
#
|
|
|
|
