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THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL

"Do you think it’s true?" asked the man of his friend. "Do you think it’s Him?" he continued.

"I don’t know. Some say He is while others say He is not," answered the friend.

"If it was Him surely He would not let them do this to Him?" wondered the man.

"Who knows what God’s plan is for anyone," said the friend as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Why are so many people abusing Him and making fun of Him? I heard He only did good things; healing the sick, feeding the hungry and given to the needy. Why are they so angry at Him, it doesn’t make sense?" inquired the man.

"You know how it is. If you threaten the power and authority of some in Israel today you risk your very life. That is what He has done and now He pays the price," stated the friend.

"It doesn’t seem right that a good man should be treated so," said the man, as he shook his head from side to side in disgust at what was happening.

"He said He was the Messiah and He said He was the Son of God. That is why they are crucifying him," cut in another man from the crowd around him.

"We were just talking about that. Do you think He is?" asked the first man.

"I don’t know, but as I look at Him on the cross I feel as if my heart is breaking and I feel as if He is reaching out putting it back together again," answered the man in the crowd.

"If he was the Messiah wouldn’t He come down from the cross and show us?" inquired the first man.

"Maybe God wants this to happen. Maybe God wants His Son to die for a reason we don’t understand yet," suggested the friend.

"What reason could that be?" asked the first man.

"I don’t know but if it is God’s reason then it will be a very good one," answered the man from the crowd who had spoken before.

"He is looking at me," said the first man.

"No, He is looking at me," insisted the friend.

"No, it’s me He is looking at," said the man in the crowd.

"Maybe He is looking at all of us," said the first man and the other two nodded in agreement.

"His face is full of pain. Let’s say a prayer for Him that His suffering will end soon," suggested the friend.

"His eyes seem to be penetrating my soul," said the first man as he began to cry.

"And mine," said the friend, and the man in the crowd almost in unison, and then they too began to cry.

"Let’s pray for Him," sobbed the first man and then the three crying men offered their tear-filled prayers for the suffering Jesus on the cross.

As they prayed their eyes were fixed on the eyes of Jesus and each one of them felt as if Jesus’ love was reaching inside of them and touching their inner being. In unison the three fell to their knees and called out softly to Jesus, "Forgive me, I am sorry. Forgive me."

At that moment Jesus lifted His head and called out, "Father forgive them, they know not what they do."

The first man said, with his eyes still fixed on Jesus, to the other two, "It is Him. I know He is the Messiah."

The other two still crying sobbed, "We know, we know."

They remained there crying and staring at Jesus on the cross, then with all the others present they heard Jesus call out, "Father into Your hands I commend My spirit."

As Jesus’ head dropped and his last breath filled the air there was silence until the earth shook and the centurion, who was by the cross, called out in one voice with these three men, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

A short while later the first man said to the other two, as they waited near the cross looking at Jesus who still hung there, "I feel inside me a knowledge that He did this because He loved me. I can’t explain it. I just know it is true."

"So do I," agreed the friend. "I know He died for me because He loved me. I feel this is written on my heart, that it is an eternal truth."

The man from the crowd nodded his head saying, "Yes, I feel He died for all of us. How great a love that is. Surely it is the greatest love of all!"

 

 

From OUR MOTHER'S HEART

OUR LADY  4/3/99

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At this time the Apostles were confused and wondering what their future would hold.  Soon, however, their questions would be answered as they came to see the truth in the resurrection of my Son, Jesus.

It is the same for all mankind, if they too look to the resurrection of Jesus they will find the answers to all of their questions there also.

Job 31:13  When God rose up.