Jesus lives in you, and you live in Him

We have traveled the journey of Lent, and Holy Week shines before us, with a shining, both dark and light, comprising the purpose of the life of Christ. Jesus is to be betrayed, judged, and scourged; a cross will be imposed.  He will fall three times, given some relief by Simon, consoled by his mother and holy women, nailed to and raised high on that cross.  Through the shining darkness of this journey, the Father will be with him.

The relationship with this Jesus, and this Father through the Holy Spirit soon to be revealed, is the basis of our mission on earth.  The order of that relationship, personal and ecclesial, to mission is crucial.  Relationship comes first.  We have received a gift through our Baptism, extended through the sacraments we celebrate, of Jesus.  Jesus lives in us, and we live in Jesus.  If we only knew how completely Jesus wishes us to understand this and live through Him, we would be stricken with wonder and humble gratitude. 

"The relationship with this Jesus, and this Father through the Holy Spirit soon to be revealed, is the basis of our mission on earth."

The celebrations of Holy Week:  The Mass of the Last Supper, the Passion of Good Friday, the Easter Vigil and Easter Mass, bring forth a renewed communion with Jesus where our identity is to be further revealed in Him. We live under the veil of fallen humanity, a veil which is slowly being lifted.  Our Mother Mary, the angels and saints pray and strive constantly to lift this veil and allow us to understand and accept our Baptismal gift more completely.  That is, to know beyond doubt and with wholehearted conviction, that Jesus lives in us, and we live in Him. 

All things are not fixed nor orderly planned in our journey.  There are surprises, disappointments, and unexpected joys.  Jesus knows all this.  The purpose of his journey through this passion, death and resurrection are given for one purpose:  Us.  He loves us and wants to give everything he has so that we might know this.  To love is to forgive and so our sins are taken into his body, nailed to a cross, and forgiven.  Have we realized this yet, in repentance and conversion?

"That is, to know beyond doubt and with wholehearted conviction, that Jesus lives in us, and we live in Him." 

Most importantly in the days ahead, Jesus offers us an occasion of intimacy beyond compare:  We will not only experience his forgiveness at the foot of the cross; we also may bring those we need to forgive, our heads and hearts next to his wounds as he hangs on the cross and says, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”  To forgive with Jesus is an intimacy granted to those whom Jesus calls friends.  This is the relationship into which we are called.

It is time, now, to focus our mind, heart, body and soul on Jesus.  Hearts are being stirred and spirits prepared to be renewed through the events of the Holy Week which is upon us.  Prepare now to listen, pray, watch and adore, that you may enter His life ever more deeply, that we be given all graces to realize fully the relationship which is to be offered:  Jesus lives in you, and you live in Him. 

+Most Reverend Stephen J. Berg

 Bishop of Pueblo

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