Change We Can Believe In

We've all heard those dramatic movie trailers that start off in shadowy, ominous tones.... "In a world full of darkness.... in a time of war.... in a city torn by hatred and violence.... ONE MAN stood for justice..." etc etc.

Then we get all fired up watching Mr. Biceps (insert the latest Hollywood toughie) fight the powers that be and WIN, and the moral is once again... "One man can make a difference."

One man, that is, toting a large semi-automatic weapon.

But these remedies in the fight against Evil are always short-lived, aren't they? Lots of explosions and hairpin turns and sweet moves, but only a temporary peace is established.... until.... The Sequel!

I believe one Man did make a difference, once and for all. And He not only changed the exterior, but more importantly, the interior realms of the human heart. After all, that's where all of this wickedness is stemming from, isn't it?

No external structure can save us, let's face it. No economic stimulus is strong enough to stimulate the heart to Goodness. That takes a certain kind of grace. And no Democrat or Republican can save us either, not even one born "on Krypton." (hmmm, that may explain why he's so out of touch with things on earth). It's not a machine or a mechanism or a mortal man that can save us. This job of redemption must be done by the God-Man, Jesus Christ. If sin is an assault on Infinite Love, then it will take an Infinite Love to repair the breach. And Jesus is Infinite Love. He is Divinity united to Humanity. He is, as Pope John Paul II out it, "the human face of God and the Divine face of Man."

These events of Holy Week are both ancient history and present to us at the same time. They are history, and hisstory, and herstory. How is this possible? How is it that the Church in Her liturgy can dwell in a kind of Eternal Now for these three days? The answer is wrapped in the Mystery of the Man Who was God enfleshed; in this God Who gave us His flesh in the Eucharist to be our food, to be one with us, and to give us that grace that can finally change our hearts.

"This is my body, given up for you."

Pope recently said that this Week of Weeks "offers us the opportunity to be immersed in the central events of Redemption, to relive the Paschal Mystery, the great mystery of the faith."

From the Garden of Gethsemane to the hill of Calvary, every step and every drop of precious blood had an infinite merit. And it would merit us greatly to receive its value. The door is open now, the first steps have been taken, and even now He is about to embrace that Cross anew for us, in His timeless act of unselfish love. And in every unselfish act of ours, every moment we become a gift for others, united to Him, we can lighten that load; ease that weight. So let's walk with Him now, like Simon, like Veronica, like John, and Mary, and the countless saints and mystics of ages past.

May His Passion find its sequel in us.