IF there is anything that is very prominently highlighted in
the Good
Friday liturgy and the entire Easter Triduum that ends on Easter
Sunday, it is that all the evil and malice we are capable of
committing are fathomed and measured by Christ, borne and assumed by
him and finally destroyed and conquered.
This is what we have to bear in mind as we go through the liturgical
services that from the human point of view can really be tedious and
boring because of the many details involved.
It’s only with this thought that would enable us to enter into the
deepest meaning of these days. Otherwise, we would just end up hating
the services and itching for an escape.
Our capacity to do evil and to succumb to malice is also infinite.
That’s just how things are with us. The range and scope of
possibilities for both good and evil, given our spiritual nature, is
quite extensive.
That’s a thought that should sober us, especially if we consider the
evil possibilities. If we think we have already seen enough evil and
malice in this world, think again. There are still more, and in forms
that can truly beggar our imagination.
This is not meant to scare us. Rather, it is meant to firm up our
conviction that the greatest evil has already been done, and that is
the killing of Christ on the cross, the crucifying of not only a great
man, even the greatest man, but also of God himself, for Christ is
both man and God.
In a sense, we should not worry so much about the evil that can still
unfold before our eyes in forms and ways that can really stretch our
disbelief to the limit. Nothing can surpass the evil and malice of
killing Christ, though we must also admit that every evil we commit
contributes and reprises the cruel crucifixion of Christ.
This does not mean that we can be cavalier with evil, even in its
slightest forms. We should try to avoid all traces of evil and malice,
and resist them with our best efforts. But if we cannot help but fall
into them, we should not worry too much, because all that evil has
already been borne by Christ and conquered by him.
Besides, St. Paul told us quite clearly that while sin has abounded,
the grace of God has abounded even more. It’s a truth that was richly
dramatized in the parables of the lost coin, the lost sheep and the
prodigal son. What we have to do is to act out what those involved in
these parables did—to look and find God again, to ask for pardon.
We need to immerse ourselves more deeply in this conviction so we
don’t waste precious time and energy tangling with our doubts and
fears because of our weakness, temptations and falls. We sometimes go
to such extremes in lamenting over these phenomena that we may not be
able to get hold of what is truly important—to go back to God.
That’s why it is important that we meditate on the passion, death and
resurrection of Christ. Being the culmination and summary of his
redemptive work that is also perpetuated in the Church especially
through the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, this paschal mystery
sheds abundant light on the interplay of grace and evil, mercy and
malice, etc.
Such meditation, especially during the Holy Week, can truly widen our
perspective and deepen our faith in God and his loving, wise and
merciful providence over us. It will take us away from ignorance,
error and confusion, so rampant these days insofar as our faith is
concerned.
It will also help us to be understanding towards ourselves and others
whenever we feel we are committing or seeing evil around us. It will
help us to be more charitable, preferring to pray, to ask for pardon,
to go to confession, to make atonement, etc.
If there’s any need to clarify something or to defend ourselves, then
we can do these with utmost delicacy, without falling into bitter
zeal. We would also be encouraged to imitate Christ in accepting the
cross, our daily contradictions with faith and trust in God and his
providence.
In the end, we will be helped in developing a supernatural and
theological outlook toward life, especially its unavoidable dark
aspect, and even to have a positive, serene and cheerful attitude, so
necessary these days when we are wracked with a lot of negativism and
tension.
Friday liturgy and the entire Easter Triduum that ends on Easter
Sunday, it is that all the evil and malice we are capable of
committing are fathomed and measured by Christ, borne and assumed by
him and finally destroyed and conquered.
This is what we have to bear in mind as we go through the liturgical
services that from the human point of view can really be tedious and
boring because of the many details involved.
It’s only with this thought that would enable us to enter into the
deepest meaning of these days. Otherwise, we would just end up hating
the services and itching for an escape.
Our capacity to do evil and to succumb to malice is also infinite.
That’s just how things are with us. The range and scope of
possibilities for both good and evil, given our spiritual nature, is
quite extensive.
That’s a thought that should sober us, especially if we consider the
evil possibilities. If we think we have already seen enough evil and
malice in this world, think again. There are still more, and in forms
that can truly beggar our imagination.
This is not meant to scare us. Rather, it is meant to firm up our
conviction that the greatest evil has already been done, and that is
the killing of Christ on the cross, the crucifying of not only a great
man, even the greatest man, but also of God himself, for Christ is
both man and God.
In a sense, we should not worry so much about the evil that can still
unfold before our eyes in forms and ways that can really stretch our
disbelief to the limit. Nothing can surpass the evil and malice of
killing Christ, though we must also admit that every evil we commit
contributes and reprises the cruel crucifixion of Christ.
This does not mean that we can be cavalier with evil, even in its
slightest forms. We should try to avoid all traces of evil and malice,
and resist them with our best efforts. But if we cannot help but fall
into them, we should not worry too much, because all that evil has
already been borne by Christ and conquered by him.
Besides, St. Paul told us quite clearly that while sin has abounded,
the grace of God has abounded even more. It’s a truth that was richly
dramatized in the parables of the lost coin, the lost sheep and the
prodigal son. What we have to do is to act out what those involved in
these parables did—to look and find God again, to ask for pardon.
We need to immerse ourselves more deeply in this conviction so we
don’t waste precious time and energy tangling with our doubts and
fears because of our weakness, temptations and falls. We sometimes go
to such extremes in lamenting over these phenomena that we may not be
able to get hold of what is truly important—to go back to God.
That’s why it is important that we meditate on the passion, death and
resurrection of Christ. Being the culmination and summary of his
redemptive work that is also perpetuated in the Church especially
through the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, this paschal mystery
sheds abundant light on the interplay of grace and evil, mercy and
malice, etc.
Such meditation, especially during the Holy Week, can truly widen our
perspective and deepen our faith in God and his loving, wise and
merciful providence over us. It will take us away from ignorance,
error and confusion, so rampant these days insofar as our faith is
concerned.
It will also help us to be understanding towards ourselves and others
whenever we feel we are committing or seeing evil around us. It will
help us to be more charitable, preferring to pray, to ask for pardon,
to go to confession, to make atonement, etc.
If there’s any need to clarify something or to defend ourselves, then
we can do these with utmost delicacy, without falling into bitter
zeal. We would also be encouraged to imitate Christ in accepting the
cross, our daily contradictions with faith and trust in God and his
providence.
In the end, we will be helped in developing a supernatural and
theological outlook toward life, especially its unavoidable dark
aspect, and even to have a positive, serene and cheerful attitude, so
necessary these days when we are wracked with a lot of negativism and
tension.
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