Because my pain is nothing compared to yours, my Lord.
The movie, The Passion of Christ by Mel Gibson, has been released nine years ago but I have never seen it for no particular reason. Maybe because the reviews said that it was irrelevantly bloody and offensive or maybe because I haven't gotten in touch with my faith that long. Today, on a Holy Friday, I have finally watched the movie.
I am pretty educated about Christ and His stories. As a child who grew up in a Catholic household and being an active Christian when I was in high school, I read a lot about the saints, the apostles and their martyrdom, Christ's childhood and miracles and suffering -- everything probably in between. My faith was shaken when I entered college. I began to question idolatry and celibacy and all the attacks you can think of against the Catholic Church. I became a distant believer.
I have long been searching for my faith and right now, probably at the darkest moment of my life, I have found it again. The doctrines do not matter; the dogmas are there to guide -- everything else could be a mistake, everything else could be fallible. But these are not important. I realized that what was important was finding a faith which brought me closer to God. What was important was that I find a congregation who will connect me again like a river that will never run dry because it is connected to the immense glory of the seas.
Religion does not matter. What matters is the belief of a Higher Being. Someone more powerful than us -- who knows better than us and what is the best for us.
This Lenten Season, I offer all my inequities, O Lord. I offer all the years that I have gone astray and offer you my gratefulness for accepting me again. I offer all the pain and the difficulties and the heartaches that I harbor within my heart. You once said, “...Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?". Let me rise then from all the anger and hatred and wish grace and blessings to those who have persecuted me. For their condemnation may actually bring me to the path which You have planned for me. My pain is nothing compared to your pain. Just please give me the strength to endure while I watch Your plan unfold. Amen.
Have a blessed Holy Week everyone.
xx,
Corporate Junkie
