Dear Friend of Carmel Mission,
What does it mean to proclaim a crucified Christ, to worship a crucified Messiah? The mystery of who Jesus is, both fully human and fully divine, reminds us that we cannot put any limit on God. Jesus accepted the constraints of humanity, and suffered and died on the Cross. Jesus then overcame any such constraints by rising from dead. As we hear in the Gospel, Jesus did not need to anyone to explain human nature to him, “ He Himself understood it well.” (John 2:25) This understanding was not an academic omniscience, but a lived experience. Jesus understood human nature because He was fully human.
Through the course of human history, God has sought to help God’s people better their lives and their relationships. With the Ten Commandments, God set out laws that would help people live in harmony, respect one another, and strengthen their personal relationships with God and with each other. God invites us to prioritize our relationship with Him, to devote time and energy to its growth, and to turn, first and foremost, to Him.
Jesus’ visceral understanding of human nature reassures us that there is no situation, no emotional state, no human failing that prevents us from turning to God. There is nothing we experience that Jesus Himself did not experience and cannot understand. The mystery of our God becoming human, suffering death, and rising again was a natural progression in God’s relationship with humankind. The crucified Christ promises that our compassionate God understands our fear, our pain, our humiliation, and our despair. Our Risen Lord promises that God likewise understands and celebrates our triumphs, our joys and accomplishments.
I wish you and your loved ones continued Lenten blessings of good health, renewed hope, and a deepening relationship with our loving God,
Fr. Paul
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