Stay With Him

What a wild few days. On the past 48 hours we have witnessed the agony, death, and life-giving love of God. As Catholics we are mystically there, right alongside Christ, participating in His passion. The Institution of the Eucharist? You're right there, spiritually. The Agony in the Garden? Though your parish may only have two pots of flowers by the tabernacle so it doesn't actually FEEL like a garden, you're right there with Him, spiritually. Though it may have been sixty degrees and sunny from 12-3 PM yesterday, and not at all Good-Friday-ish, you were still right there, watching your savior suffer and die in the eyes of your soul. It seems so unfair. Why did He have to die? Why did they do that to Him? By now, most of us have heard and can recognize that it was our sins that did this to our God. But if we recognize that, what can we do about it? Though we cannot go back and undo the sins of the whole world and thus prevent our Lord's sufferings, and we couldn't have stopped Him from allowing Himself to be given as the sacrifice for the world our of love for us, as He was doing the will of His Father, we CAN console Him in His agony. Every time you love someone else, you console Christ. Every time you remain with Him, spiritually, when the world ignores Him, you console Him. Each time you enter into His suffering, you console Him because you are with Him. Each time you trust in His mercy and goodness and love, you console Him. No, we cannot change what has happened. All we can do is thank our dearest Lord for His love! But we can remain beside Him in His agony, and accompany Him on His journey to the cross, and soon, find the tomb empty and discover His Resurrection.