Kančios evangelija

DABAR MASĖS SKAITYMŲ ŽODIS
18 m. balandžio 2014 d
Didįjį penktadienį

JŪS pastaruoju metu galbūt pastebėjo keliuose raštuose temas „gyvojo vandens šaltiniai“, tekančią iš tikinčiojo sielos. Dramatiškiausias yra būsimo „Palaimos“ pažadas, apie kurį rašiau šią savaitę Konvergencija ir palaiminimas.

Bet kai šiandien medituojame ant Kryžiaus, noriu pakalbėti apie dar vieną gyvojo vandens šaltinį, kuris ir dabar gali tekėti iš vidaus, kad drėkintų kitų sielas. Aš kalbu apie kančia.

In the first reading, Isaiah writes, “by his stripes we are healed.” The body of Jesus became for us a wound from which flows our salvation, from which flows sanctifying grace and all that makes us whole.

…upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole. (First reading)

But are we not the mistinis kūnas of Christ? Through Baptism, we are joined to Christ and “whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.” ^[1]plg. 1 Kor 6:17 Likewise, through the Eucharist, “because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body.” ^[2]plg. 1 Kor 10:17 If by His wounds, the wounds in His body, we are healed—and we are His body—then, through our wounds joined to His, healing flows to others. That is, through our suffering united to Christ’s, the power of the Holy Spirit begins to flow through our spirit like a spring reaching out, often in unknown ways, to water the souls of others.

The key that unlocks the power of the Spirit in us in our suffering is Tikėjimas dirba silpnumas.

For indeed he was crucified out of weakness, but he lives by the power of God. So also we are weak in him, but toward you we shall live with him by the power of God. (2 Cor 13:4)

Suffering is essentially the experience of weakness—whether it’s the misery of war or the common cold. The more we suffer, the weaker we are, especially when that suffering is beyond our control. It was precisely suffering beyond his control that led St. Paul to cry out to God, who replied:

My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.

And Paul responds:

I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. (2 Kor 12, 9)

When like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, we say, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done,” ^[3]Lk. 22:42 val we immediately unite our suffering to Christ’s in an act of Tikėjimas. We don’t have to feel anything; we don’t have to even like it; we simply need to will it and offer it in love. And in that žaizda, power of Christ begins to flow through us, transforming us, and making up “what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ.” ^[4]plg. Kol 1:24 Dėl…

... kančia slepiama pirma galia, kuri žmogų priartina prie Kristaus, a special grace…so that every form of suffering, given fresh life by the power of this Cross, should become no longer the weakness of man but the power of God. PALAIMINTOJO Jono Pauliaus II, Salvifici Doloris, Apaštalinis laiškas, Nr. 26

Yes, the power of the Spirit flows through us in charisms, in anointings, in praise, in prayer, and charity. But there is also a hidden power that comes from our kančia that is just as powerful, just as efficacious, when we hang upon that daily cross in faith.

Today, perhaps as no other time in history when suffering is so great, can the salvation of the world be affected—not so much by programs, nor eloquent speeches, or spectacular miracles—but by the power of the Holy Spirit flowing through the wounds of the body of Christ. This is what we mean when we say “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” ^[5]Tertullian, Apologeticus, Ch. 50 m But don’t forget the white martyrdom each day that becomes a seed, a wellspring of grace for the world. It is the Gospel of Suffering written in our abandonment to the anguish of weakness, helplessness, suffering…

Kančios evangelija rašoma nepaliaujamai ir ji nepaliaujamai kalba šio keisto paradokso žodžiais: dieviškosios jėgos šaltiniai trykšta būtent žmogaus silpnumo viduryje. PALAIMINTOJO Jono Pauliaus II, Salvifici Doloris, Apaštalinis laiškas, Nr. 26

This Good Friday— “good” because it is through His suffering that we are saved; “good” because our suffering is no longer in vain—I want to share a prayer with you, a song I wrote from a heart of weakness…