Thursday after Ash Wednesday
It seems backward that we should lay down our lives in order to save them. All of our basic instincts are oriented towards self-preservation: finding food, running from danger or attacking threats, seeking relationships for their support, etc. Just like any animal, our natural inclination is to avoid death. The difference, however, is that we are made in the image and likeness of God. We are animals, but we have also been granted reason and free will, which enable us to overcome our basic inclinations for higher pursuits.
Jesus did not attack those who threatened him, even though he had the power to overcome them. He did not flee when the mob came to arrest him in the garden. Instead, Jesus offered himself up on the cross, accepting death without defending himself, to show us how to love. For love is God’s very nature. He gave of himself so that we might have life. He became the most sacred sacrifice that frees us from our sins. He handed over this life for the life to come. And he invites us to do the same.
Reflection by Fr. Victor Schinstock, OSB
Posted in Articles for Lent, Daily Reflections