The Procession with the Holy Relics of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord; The Seven Holy Martyred Maccabees, and their mother, Solome, and their teacher, Eleazar. Our Venerable Father Alphonsus Liguori.
Dormition Fast. Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat.
1 Corinthians 1:18-24; John 19:6-11,13-20,25-28,30-35.
Read John 19:6-11,13-20,25-28,30-35
| In the crucifixion of Jesus, we see the fulfillment of His promise to lay lay down His life for His sheep. At the same time we also witness how Jesus carries out the will of His Father. For it is really the Father that wills that His Son goes through the various stages that result in His death on the Cross. One of the stages where Jesus was presented an opportunity to avoid the Cross was when Pilate says to Jesus that he has the power to release Him. By responding the way He does, Jesus reveals that He is following the will of His Father Who is the true source of power. By not submitting to the requests of a man of authority, Jesus reveals that there is a power greater than man. Jesus Himself is that power that comes from above and as such He exercises that power by rejecting Pilate’s offer to be set free. The willingness of Jesus to accept the sentence of death instead of making a deal to avoid it reveals true freedom and is testified by the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. May we also be willing to follow Jesus in laying down our lives for the sake of others. |