November 20, 2022
Gospel – 6/1/20 – John 19:25-34
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother
and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary of Magdala.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved,
he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”
Then he said to the disciple,
“Behold, your mother.”
And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
After this, aware that everything was now finished,
in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled,
Jesus said, “I thirst.”
There was a vessel filled with common wine.
So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop
and put it up to his mouth.
When Jesus had taken the wine, he said,
“It is finished.”
And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.
Now since it was preparation day,
in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath,
for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one,
the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken
and they be taken down.
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first
and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead,
they did not break his legs,
but one soldier thrust his lance into his side,
and immediately Blood and water flowed out.
How many mothers have to see their children die while we sit on the sidelines?
In our relativist world we’ve allowed to overcome the world of the caring, bad things multiply.
You tell me, “If what I do doesn’t affect you – then it’s ok.” But it does affect me. Maybe not directly, but it affects me.
For every time I turn my head – when any life is sacrificed – it affects me. For every beating that doesn’t involve me – it affects me. For every child bullied to the point of suicide or broken to the point of mass murder – it affects me.
For every person abused because they are different than me – in color, sexual orientation, religion, etc. – IT AFFECTS ALL OF US.
Jesus went to that cross and died for no crime – how many more?
But the death of that Man affected me – and that was millennia ago – but his death affected me.
Don’t tell me in your relativistic world your choices don’t affect me – us – because a death 2,000+ years ago continues to affect us.
At least that’s what I heard Him say…
What I Heard Him Say 