Today we are called to stand face to face with the crucified Lord. Crucified because he refused to restrict his loving to the accepted contours of the socio, political, economic, cultural, religious and national interests of his day. He loved without fear and favour. This was too threatening for those who had a vested interest in the status quo and too disappointing for those who desired a violent overthrow of the status quo. Faced with the choice of limiting his loving or being killed—he chose to be killed and in his dying breaths he extended his love to new heights to include even his killers. May his love pierce us today…Alan
“We have gotten so used to the ultimate Christian fact–Jesus naked, stripped, crucified and risen–that we no longer see it for what it is: a summons to strip ourselves of earthly cares and worldly wisdom, all desire for human praise, greediness for any kind of comfort; a readiness to stand up and be counted as peacemakers in a violent world; a willingness to let go of those pretenses that would have us believe that we really aren’t worldly. Even the last rag we cling to–the self-flattery that suggests we are being humble when we disclaim any resemblance to Jesus Christ–even that rag has to go when we stand face to face with the crucified Lord.” – Brennan Manning in The Signature of Jesus
