Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, ushers not just the beginning of the Lenten Season but, more importantly, a celebration in the commemoration of God’s immeasurable love for humanity
For Christians, the 40 days of Lent, Holy Week, and Easter Sunday hold unparalleled significance, marking the most pivotal event in human history and the greatest love narrative ever relayed.
As Christians, we understand the entirety of life and any prospect for existence beyond this earthly realm hinge upon the life and sacrifice of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
In a supreme display of love, Jesus endured the agony of the cross, offering himself as a sacrifice to atone for our sins, thus granting forgiveness to all who believe.
His resurrection, celebrated joyously at Easter, epitomizes the triumph of hope over despair and underscores the boundless grace bestowed upon humanity.
This year’s Ash Wednesday falls on Valentine’s Day, the day of the hearts.
At the heart of Christ’s Passion beats the profound love God holds for humanity.
The Apostle John beautifully captures this sentiment in his gospel, declaring, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
This love transcends mere emotion; it is a dynamic, sacrificial force aimed at our redemption and reconciliation with God.
Through Jesus’ ultimate act of love on the cross, where He willingly lays down His life, we are offered salvation from sin and granted eternal life.
As we reflect on the Passion of Christ, our hearts should overflow with joy, gratitude, and awe.
Joy emerges from the triumph of our salvation and the renewal of our relationship with God through Christ. Gratitude wells up within us as we grasp the enormity of the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf, revealing the depths of God’s love.
In the midst of a world marred by sin, it is easy to lose sight of God’s love.
Doubts may arise about His care in the face of widespread suffering and evil.
Nevertheless, the Passion of Christ serves as a poignant reminder of God’s unwavering love and His willingness to undertake extraordinary measures to rescue us.
Even amidst life’s trials, we can anchor ourselves in the certainty of God’s love and discover hope.
God’s love for humanity is the transcendent kind of love, one that is selfless, and unconditional.
This is the kind of love that Christ has shown to mankind when he offered himself as the ultimate sacrifice to die on the cross.
Sometimes, in fact most of the times, we spurn the cross. oftentimes feeling that we do not deserve any kind of suffering. We rebel, complain, and disdain the cross.
As individuals belonging to Christ’s body, our experiences of suffering can now intertwine with the significance of Jesus’ own suffering.
This doesn’t imply any inadequacy or imperfection in Christ’s suffering; rather, it signifies Christ’s gracious invitation for us to participate in his redemptive mission.
When our suffering aligns with Christ’s, it becomes integrated into the redemption he achieved for us.
Yet, every pain we endure with love, every burden carried with resignation, holds profound benefits for every individual within the Mystical Body of Christ.
Those entrusted with a heavier share of suffering are divinely called to minister to the souls of many who wander in darkness, lacking knowledge, and affection for God.
Through redemptive suffering, they not only bear the burdens of others but also uplift and comfort the virtuous and devout on their journey toward holiness.
This twofold aspect of redemptive suffering bestows upon those chosen by God for this mission a glory and joy in the Kingdom beyond human comprehension.
Like Jesus, their sufferings, joined with His, ascend to Heaven and procure grace and conversion for those who have strayed from God and His Love.
I may now be afflicted with a serious illness, but in God’s scheme of things, this is no cause for despair and hopelessness.
In fact, it is an occasion of rejoicing, an opportunity to partake in the redemptive suffering of Christ Jesus.
Truly, Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, ushers not just the beginning of the Lenten Season but, more importantly, a celebration in the commemoration of God’s immeasurable love for humanity — the greatest expression of Valentine’s day.
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