Paschal Mystery Analysis
In an Angelus addressed to the people of Australia, Pope John Paul II touches on the Paschal Mystery's very meaning, saying, "We are aware of...sin...But...Jesus...passed through pain...to... Resurrection (Angelus 3). This one quote can help us to provide a common definition of the Paschal Mystery that is, simultaneously, ambiguous and open to interpretation. The Paschal Mystery simply refers to three of most important aspects to surround Jesus's life on earth: His Birth/Creation, His Death/Suffering, and His Resurrection/Rebirth. It makes the claim that in the very beginning, God created humanity and all other aspects of creation for one purpose: to make the glory of His name known ("Isaiah 43:7"). Since God is the very definition of love
(1 John 4:8), we are all called to live in harmony and fellowship with each other, God, and every form of creation. However, ever since the fall of man by our disobedience, sin began to take shape in the form of suffering (disease, violence, poverty, homelessness, prejudice) and distorted the vision that God had set in place for the universe. Therefore, in order to experience true rebirth of the world, we must crucify our selfish tendencies, just as Christ crucified His fleshly form. This very claim in itself challenges our society's approach as to how we could see both God and people. In the case of God, our modern-day 2016 society says that we are closer to God if we have evidence of peace, security, and wealth in our lives (which are in their own right very important). There's even the stereotype of a nice, gentle God who wants only to remove Himself from the world's suffering. This image alone can often tempt us to avoid engaging in the lives of other people and focus just on our own. However, have we stopped to consider that the true Image of God is shown in the crucifix of Jesus (as shown above)? Jesus, as the Son of God, had all of the Glory and splendor of heaven while seated at the Right Hand of the Father. However, when He decided to give it up to save humanity, He decided to be the servant and therefore engage those in need. Jesus on the cross further proves that God is the very essence of compassion, which means to suffer with. By His suffering with humanity He rose in victory, only to show that love will win in the end. Seeing that His wounds eventually turned to a source of healing, can we not affirm that the only way to see God's vision restored again is to be present and engage with others in need of love?
(1 John 4:8), we are all called to live in harmony and fellowship with each other, God, and every form of creation. However, ever since the fall of man by our disobedience, sin began to take shape in the form of suffering (disease, violence, poverty, homelessness, prejudice) and distorted the vision that God had set in place for the universe. Therefore, in order to experience true rebirth of the world, we must crucify our selfish tendencies, just as Christ crucified His fleshly form. This very claim in itself challenges our society's approach as to how we could see both God and people. In the case of God, our modern-day 2016 society says that we are closer to God if we have evidence of peace, security, and wealth in our lives (which are in their own right very important). There's even the stereotype of a nice, gentle God who wants only to remove Himself from the world's suffering. This image alone can often tempt us to avoid engaging in the lives of other people and focus just on our own. However, have we stopped to consider that the true Image of God is shown in the crucifix of Jesus (as shown above)? Jesus, as the Son of God, had all of the Glory and splendor of heaven while seated at the Right Hand of the Father. However, when He decided to give it up to save humanity, He decided to be the servant and therefore engage those in need. Jesus on the cross further proves that God is the very essence of compassion, which means to suffer with. By His suffering with humanity He rose in victory, only to show that love will win in the end. Seeing that His wounds eventually turned to a source of healing, can we not affirm that the only way to see God's vision restored again is to be present and engage with others in need of love?