Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
The old spiritual is familiar enough. Yet it asks a question that deserves an answer. Were you there?
In a temporal sense, no. We were not there. Christ himself said "It is finished." He was sacrificed once for all on the hill of Golgotha 2000 years ago. We were not there.
It is reasonable enough. We are temporal beings. We are limited. In both duration and direction, our time is limited. We were not there.
But what is time to the Eternal Word? Something far beyond our ability to even conceive. In a mystical sense, the Passion transcends time; the Crucifixion transcends time. We are the mystical Body of Christ. He left us to be his eyes, his hands, here on Earth: to do his Father's will until he comes again.
The choice is ours: to live in his love, or to crucify him. Every time we choose hatred over love we hold him to the cross. We drive in the nails. We stand at the foot of the cross and mock him. Come down from that cross and save yourself! How fortunate for us he did not.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord? I think I was.
Sometimes it causes me to tremble.
Respectfully Yours,
Cricket
8 comments:
excellent meditation, my friend. thank you.
May your Easter be filled with blessings, my swell pal.
(Of course, it will be. I mean to say those you can see immediately.)
Cricket, for once I will be brief. A very Happy Easter to you, good sir. You know I don't really have a firm determination on what I believe, but I do know that in the Christian faith, Chris died for our sins.
People like you make me believe that he was doing something very worthwhile in doing so.
Happy Easter.
Christ...not...Chris...
Sul's right, clearly God has a good sense of humor. Oh brother.
Happy Easter, Cricket.
Cricket, not to get too "deep," ...but probably more "simple"...
I believe that we "were there." I believe that we were in His heart. I believe that He saw, and knew each of us. And, as HE hung upon that cruel cross, HE overlooked all of our failings/sins/whatever.
I started to write the story of Miss Elizabeth in this comment (but it's too long to write in a comment). So, in short...she was an old black lady that lived in my back yard when I was a kid. (Like I said...long story)
I remember many things that she said. But the one that rings clarion clear was that she would lift her old gnarled, arthritic hand to Heaven, and say, "Thank God for Jesus!"
Cricket, I will confess that I truly struggle with "loving" my enemies. But, I reckon I'm not alone. That doesn't make it right, of course.
You wrote: "Sometimes it causes me to tremble."
Me, too...
Happy Easter to you all, and thank you for visiting.
Andy - "Thank God for Jesus," indeed. It sounds a bit funny until you think about it. Now there is a point on which I think we both firmly agree. Thank God for Jesus.
I would like to hear more about Miss Elizabeth sometime.
I am glad we have "met."
Cricket: A wonderful song with a deeper meaning. I was there, he did it for me.
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