Jesus Understood It Well - Homily Friday Mass/Way of the Cross

(Readings)

In this time of preparation for the LORD, ask: What holds me back from doing God’s will? What keeps me from taking it on?

Maybe it’s fear. Jesus understood it well.

St. Paul tells Timothy “…if we want to live a Godly life we will be persecuted….” The Book of Wisdom says this is how we will be persecuted–

• Let us beset them, because they are obnoxious to us and against our doings
• Let us put them to revilement and torture testing their gentleness and trying their patience.
• Let us see whether their words are true and find what will happen...
• Let us condemn them; their own words are that God will take care of them.

Maybe, we think our voice will not be heard. Jesus understood it well.

• Jesus cried out in the temple as he was teaching, "… I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. I know him, I am from him, and he sent me."

Maybe the thing, which holds us back, is the reality of human nature. Jesus understood it well.

• Jesus traveled within Galilee but he didn’t want to go to Judea; the Jews were trying to kill him.
• Jesus would not trust himself to them; he knew them all and did not need anyone to testify about human nature. He himself understood it well.
• They tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him, his hour had not yet come.

What holds us back from doing God’s will?  Christ Jesus knew and experienced the same.

Yet, He did God's will. He took it on for us? - AMEN.