Good Friday

Originally written on March 21, 2013

On Good Friday I went on a walking Way of the Cross.  It was a very profound experience for me.  I realized that we all have a path to follow, but we don't follow this path in a vacuum.  The path that we follow will inevitably affect others.  I saw this on Friday as I was walking.  A woman in front of me stepped around a very small obstacle in front of her and almost caused another pilgrim to run into the wall.  I couldn't help but wonder what was so bad about that obstacle that she couldn't just face it head on.  It required effort and it's inconvenient, but the reality is that in avoiding a confrontation with this obstacle, the woman altered her path and that of her companion next to her forever.  

This is what sin does.  We all do this too.  We become so focused on ourselves that we fail to see how our sins affect those around us.  I consider it a huge missed opportunity to not try to overcome the obstacles in my path, though I fully admit that I often seek the easy way out.  The path I generally choose for myself, often leads to the confessional because of my weakness.

Another thing I realized, is that people are very politically charged right now, but in the Church, we are all Catholic, regardless of our political affiliation.  We all share the same baptism and the same communion.  The Supreme Court could rule tomorrow that abortion in any form is illegal.  What would happen with all of those "pro-life" people?  They will cheer for a day and then fade into the background thinking the battle is done.  Indeed, there will be some people who will sleep soundly at night thinking that the most heinous crime in US History has now come to an end.  And they would be wrong.  Because it was never about abortion.  It was never limited to the USA.  It's about the dignity of every man, woman, and child.  It goes deeper than political policy written down on paper.  It's in our hearts.  Look at the reason why abortion exists.  Abortion is merely the world's solution to deep and horrifying heartache, to people who are enslaved by this freedom the world touts and yet, an obstacle comes along and it's so great an obstacle that they feel they cannot face it.  They feel alone.  They step to the side to avoid it and they alter not only their path, but the paths of many others.  An abortion is another child the world will never know.  One person less to make the world beautiful and good, the way it was intended to be.  One person less to fight injustice.  

There are, of course, those select few weathered warriors in the pro life movement who "get it".  They knew it was never about abortion, but about dignity and charity.  They may, perhaps, breath a sigh of relief, but do so knowing the fight is far from over.  There is extreme poverty in the world, human trafficking, of which the USA is the sole main consumer.  Take that disgusting detail and ponder it.  There is slavery still.  There is all kinds of evil (note that I said evil and not bad policy) still in the world.  The war is far from over.  No political ideology can save us.  Jesus was not a Republican, Democrat, Independent, or green party.  He is love and love is sacrifice.  He saved the world already through his sacrifice on the cross.  If it doesn't hurt, then it isn't love.  He calls us to follow him, not vote for him.  

The problems we are facing are much deeper than what we see and the solutions can only be given by Jesus himself, at least only the ones which last.

Perhaps these two realizations are related.  Perhaps these temporary solutions are only here as a result of us not choosing to overcome the obstacles in front of us.  Perhaps these solutions are the consequences of us deciding that it requires too much effort to overcome the obstacles on our path.  Perhaps it is a result of our own offenses against charity and human dignity.  WE ARE ALL RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.  We might as well own up to it.  There is no human being who ever existed who did not contribute to that problem except for Jesus and Mary.  

So, what I took away from this walk to Calvary (or the Co-Cathedral) is that the solution starts with me.  Am I allowing Jesus to change me so that when my path leads me to alter forever the path of another, it will be a positive change for them and for the world?  Let's not be afraid to face the obstacles in front of us, to climb those mountains and forge those rivers.  There is certainly a glorious sight awaiting us on the other side.