Will Coronavirus “reveal” to us what would bring us peace, which is now “hidden from our eyes”?
Step by Step… Each one of us walks on his/her way… And each with his/her own cross … And everyone knows only the weight of his own cross …
Our holy communion in the days of Passion Week is our understanding and comprehension of the gospel story. The sufferings of Christ and the cross have not magically abolished anyone’s trials.
“They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again, he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.” (Mark 10: 32-34).
Christs words are not listened to nor understood in their true meaning. James and John are even seeking places for themselves in the future Messianic Kingdom. Christ responds to them, “You do not know what you want.”
How many follow Christ to the sharing out of bread and how many to the suffering and the cross?
As Christ approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it, for the world, and for us, saying, “If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes” (Luke 19/42).
Shalom – Peace, this is the name of Jerusalem. Millions of Christians, Jews, Muslims flock to the holy city to the holy sites of the three world religions – the Holy Resurrection Temple, the Crying wall, the Al-Aqsa Mosque … The very meaning of the word itself – “religion” – according to Cicero is derived from relegere, to reflect, reread what is written in the holy books about the worship of the gods, and according to Lactantius, a Roman orator who later became an apologist for Christianity, its meaning is derived from religare (bind). According to Blessed Augustine, who imagined of a spiritual City of God that is distinct from the material Earthly City, it meant “reinvolvement”.
Yes, and all people seek true connection with their gods, try to “reunite” because they have a memory left somewhere on the threshold of their consciousness, a memory of wholeness and the meaning of living with faith and trust, in Peace, Hope and love. On the way to Golgotha, on one of the walls, according to tradition, Christ placed his palm to rest under the weight of the cross. Today, with the touch of millions of worshipers, the stone in this place has been carved into the shape of a human palm … Each of us has a time when he seeks support …
But why then “that which would bring us peace” is “hidden from our eyes”?
We want to experience solemn, radiant, rapturous miracles, and the gospel story reminds us of ruin, death, war, disease, destruction, it leads us through excruciating pain, severe spiritual grief, betrayal, vengeful ridcule, laurels, laurels, laurels, forbearance…
After all, Christ’s last word on the cross were “This is the end” [«Τετέλεσται»].
And then, there comes the Resurrection.
It comes after our personal experience of compassion, co-experience, re-reading, re-thinking. After the difficult journey to peace in ourselves. After the silence before the Irrevocable Death.
The path of ritual spirituality is not enough. Imprisonment in dogma is as fruitless as the blasphemy and denial of God-seeking.
Life is reborn through seeking, selfless service, continuing the work of Salvation in the time we are in.
There is something in our heart about God and we ask Him to remain in us … before we know Him.
Feature photo: According to Christian tradition this hollow was an imprint made when Jesus stumbled and rested his hand upon the wall to keep his balance, and the touch of centuries of pilgrims has smoothed out the stone and made the depression deeper.
