Passion of the Christ

Reflection

Twelve hours condensed into a single unbearable day are, for Christians, the hinge on which all of history turns. It is tempting to let the crucifixion become familiar, a symbol worn so often it stops meaning anything, but the Gospels themselves refuse to look away from its brutality. Isaiah 53 describes one who was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities long before it happened, a prophecy that insists this suffering was neither accidental nor meaningless. What makes the crucifixion different from ordinary tragedy is the claim sitting underneath it: that this suffering was chosen, and chosen for others. Sitting with that claim, rather than rushing past it towards Easter joy, is part of what the season of Lent and Good Friday exist to do. It costs something to actually stay with the weight of it rather than treating it as background to a message we already know by heart.

Questions to sit with

• Why do you think the Gospels do not shy away from describing the crucifixion in detail?
• What does it mean to you personally that this suffering is described as chosen rather than accidental?
• How do you resist letting something so central to your faith become merely familiar?