"There is no path to the resurrection except through the passion and crucifixion."
"There is no path to the resurrection except through the passion and crucifixion."
Tomorrow is the first Sunday of Lent, a season of repentance and conversion. The Gospel calls on us to reflect on the temptation of Jesus in the desert. In the short gospel of Mark, Jesus was brought by the Spirit into the wilderness where he stayed for forty days. After which he went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” This Gospel of Mark marks Jesus’ preparation for public ministry. He stayed in the desert for 40 days fasting, praying and being in communion with his Father in heaven.
Forty is a significant number not only in the life of Jesus but in the history of salvation. The Jews stayed in the desert for 40 years, Moses stayed on Mt. Sinai for 40 days while receiving the law. Thus, 40 signifies a period of trial and chastisement. In the Gospel, Jesus stayed in the wilderness for 40 days during which God allowed Satan to tempt the Messiah.
The desert is a desolate place; there, we become most vulnerable to the attacks of the devil. But the Gospel tells us that like Christ, praying, fasting, and focusing all senses towards God, we can overcome this sense of desolation and the temptations. Surely, it is when we are in the state of constant comfort and luxury that we are tempted to be complacent in our faith and charity such that we readily fall into the wiles of Satan and into all forms of sin.
The sex abuse scandals now buffeting the Catholic Church show us that no one is immune from temptation. Even consecrated individuals who by virtue of their vows are the Alter Christus on earth have succumbed to the temptations of the flesh. This has been exacerbated and perpetuated by the cover up committed by many Church leaders. Motivated mostly by the need to avoid scandal, the actions have and are lacerating further the wounds of victims.
Our very own Cardinal Chito Tagle eloquently framed this in the first presentation delivered during the Meeting of the Presidents of the Bishops’ Conferences on Safeguarding of Minors held in Vatican City last February 21-24, 2019:
“The abuse of minors by ordained ministers has inflicted wounds not only on the victims, but also on their families, the clergy, the Church, the wider society, the perpetrators themselves and the Bishops. But, it is also true, we humbly and sorrowfully admit, that wounds have been inflicted by us bishops on the victims and in fact the entire body of Christ. Our lack of response to the suffering of victims, even to the point of rejecting them and covering up the scandal to protect perpetrators and the institution has injured our people, leaving a deep wound in our relationship with those we are sent to serve. People are rightly asking: ‘Have you, who are called to have the smell of the sheep upon you, not instead run away when you found the stench of the filth inflicted on children and vulnerable people you were supposed to protect, too strong to endure?’”
Cardinal Tagle highlighted what is at stake in this crisis resulting from the sexual abuse of children and the Church’s poor handling of these crimes: “Our people need us to draw close to their wounds and acknowledge our faults if we are to give authentic and credible witness to our faith in the Resurrection. This means that each of us and our brothers and sisters at home must take personal responsibility for bringing healing to this wound in the Body of Christ and make the commitment to do everything in our power and capacity to see that children are safe, are cared for in our communities.”
The Archbishop of Manila, who did not hesitate to show his emotions while speaking in the meeting, exhorted his audience and this is a message to all of our bishops and religious leaders, not to be afraid. According to him, we must not be afraid, indeed we should set aside whatever hesitation we have to come nearer to the wounds of the victims and their loved ones because we are afraid of being wounded ourselves.
Cardinal Tagle emphasized the necessity of going through this passion: “Yes, much of the wounds we will suffer are part of the restoration of memory we must undergo, as did those disciples of Jesus. The wounds of the Risen Lord reminded the disciples of betrayal, their own betrayal and abandonment of Jesus when they saved their own lives out of fear. They fled at the first moment of danger, afraid of the cost of discipleship, and in Peter’s case, even denying that he even knew the Lord. Jesus’ wounds also remind them and us that wounds are often inflicted by blindness of ambition and legalism and misuse of power that condemned an innocent person to die as a criminal. The wounds of the Risen Christ carry the memory of innocent suffering, but they also carry the memory of our weakness and sinfulness.”
Tagle explains that this is an act of faith: “If we want to be agents of healing let us reject any tendency that is part of worldly thinking that refuses to see and touch the wounds of others, which are Christ Ìs wounds in the wounded people. Those wounded by abuse and the scandal need us to be strong in faith in this moment. The world needs authentic witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus, who draw close to His wounds as the first act of faith. I will be stressing: this is an act of faith.”
One of the most important sections of Tagle’s presentation was his reflection on justice and forgiveness where we often are tempted to frame in “either/or” terms: “We strive either for justice or we try to offer forgiveness. We need a shift to a “both/and” stance as we deliberately ask these questions: How can we serve justice and foster forgiveness in the face of this wound of sexual abuse? How can we prevent distorting forgiveness so that we do not equate it with just letting the injustice slide away or move on and dismiss the wrong? How can we keep an accurate view of forgiveness as offering a startling mercy of unconditional love to those who have done wrong, while at the same time, we strive for justice? How can we renew the Church by a firm correction of a definite wrong and walk with the abused, patiently and repeatedly begging forgiveness, knowing that giving such a gift can heal them even more?”
Finally, Cardinal Tagle meditates on the resurrection, how we could learn from the Risen Lord and his disciples by looking at and touching the wounds of victims, families, guilty and innocent clergy, the Church and society. By beholding Jesus, our Messiah, who himself was wounded by betrayal and abuse of power, we are able to also see the wounds of those hurt by those who should have protected them. According to Tagle: “In Jesus we experience the mercy that preserves justice and celebrates the gift of forgiveness. The Church hopefully would be a community of justice coming from communion and compassion, a Church eager to go forth on a mission of reconciliation to the wounded world in the Holy Spirit. Once again, the Crucified and Risen Lord stands in our midst at this moment, shows us his wounds and proclaims: “Peace be with you!” May we ever grow in our faith in this great mystery.”
In Cardinal Tagle’s reflections on the sex abuse crisis is encapsulated the journey we are asked to traverse this Lent. As individuals, families, communities, and Church, we are called to conversion, to repent and change our ways, and to work for justice and practice forgiveness. Lent is followed by Easter but there is no path to the resurrection except through the passion and crucifixion.
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