Dear Parishioners,
Jesus’s life on this earth was filled with the unexpected.
- Who would have thought the King of the Universe would descend upon this earth as a tiny baby born to a humble Jewish girl and His first throne would be a manger?
- Who would have thought the Savior of the world would lead a life of pure love, teaching people how to put the needs of others before their own needs and changing lives with the many miracles He performed?
- Who would have thought the promised Messiah would be hailed as a King one day and then sentenced to die as a criminal the next?
When they were crucifying Jesus, there must have been great tension among the people. People who followed Him were likely afraid of what would happen to them if they acknowledged their belief in Him. Even Peter denied His Lord and Savior — a behavior that was most unexpected.
But Peter and the others did not expect Jesus to die the way He did. It was certainly not how they wanted the story to end. Jesus tried to tell them while He was with them that He would suffer, die and return to His father in heaven. The apostles may have believed Jesus would love them until the end, but they probably thought His return to the Father would be more glorious, more transforming.
When Mary Magdalene and the other Mary arrived at the tomb, all they saw was an empty cave. What happened to Jesus? But when the angel told Mary Jesus had risen from the dead, just as He said He would, hope broke through. Jesus had fulfilled His promise. He did exactly what the Father sent Him to do.
Did the apostles understand that Jesus’s crucifixion was a necessary part of His Father’s plan and that it would lead to the paradise waiting for them? God’s rescue plan may not have followed the course many thought it would, but the outcome surpassed anything they (or we) could have imagined. So when life does the unexpected, let’s remember that the unexpected death and resurrection of Jesus went exactly as planned. It was meant to give us hope of the unexpected wonders yet to come.
Sincerely in Christ,
Father Lito