the 4th article of the faith: he suffered under pontius pilate: 7th week of easter tuesday

Now we come to the fourth article of faith – Jesus who was conceived by the power of the Spirit and was born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.  It is because of this constant repetition in the creed that the name of Pontius Pilate came to be associated with persons we vilify together with Barabbas and Judas – mga ngalan nga gina-associate naton sa mga traidor, criminal ukon mga tawo nga nagapanginwala sang ila responsabilidad kag nagapanghugas sang ila kamot.  But the name of Pontius Pilate is mentioned in the creed not to vilify him but to put an exact date, an exact time, to put in the chronology of world history the saving death of the Lord.  The death of Jesus was not just some accident.  The death of Jesus did not just happen in some distant past.  It has a date.  It happened at an exact day and hour.  It happened at a particular reign of a particular Roman Procurator in the Roman province of Judea.  That is why even in the early church there was already a particular preoccupation with the exact time of the passion death and resurrection of the Lord, which we follow even today.  

Nagahalin-halin ang petsa sang Holy Week tungod kay gina-id-id naton sunod ang lunar calendar.  Ginalagas naton ang first full moon sang spring, kay sa Huwebes, Biernes, Sabado kag Domingo pagkatapos sina nga full moon natabo ang pag-antus, pagkamatay kag pagkabanhaw ni Kristo.  This event in the life of Jesus and in the life of humanity is very important we just don’t simply remember it, we just don’t simply commemorate it, but we celebrate it as an anniversary.  Why?  It is because of this event that we were saved.  Without this there is no Christianity.  Without this, there is no salvation.  Without this, there is no point in believing.  We are Christians, we are saved because of the passion, death and resurrection of the Lord.  We were baptized as God’s children because of the passion, death and resurrection of the Lord.  We are blessed, we are made holy because of the passion, death and resurrection of the Lord.  Heaven was opened for us, we will not end in death, we can live forever because of the passion, death and resurrection of the Lord.  We can love even if it entails sacrifice, we can care for each other even if we have to suffer for it, because of the passion, death and resurrection of the Lord, because Jesus did the same for you and me.

Today in first world countries crucifixes are being removed.  They say it is ugly, it is gory, it is violent, it is repulsive.  It is offensive to the sight.  I agree.  The crucifix is ugly, it is gory, it is violent, repulsive and it is offensive to the sight.  But no.  I would never agree that this should be taken down for those reasons.  In fact the more reason we should put them up there on our walls for all to see.  That is what I am doing in the seminary right now.  Probably because of the constant repair our crucifixes were not returned to their rightful place which is in every room and in every office.  I say we should return it in our homes and in our offices, in every room, for this will remind us of what Jesus for you and me.  As the Father has loved me, so I also love you.  This is to remind us that God so loved the world that he sent us his only Son.  This is to remind us that many times our loving can bring us to a lot of inconvenience, a lot of sacrifice and a lot of suffering.  Many times we forget this.  Many times we have to be reminded of this.  And this is what the crucifix does.  Married love is sacrificial love.  My priesthood is a love that entails sacrifice.  Your service in the church would require a degree of sacrifice.  Loving your family and being faithful to that love would entail hardships.  Serving people, caring and serving others, walking the extra mile for others is not always easy requiring some degree of inconvenience.  Following Jesus would require sacrifices.  And lastly at some point in our lives things can be painful.  It helps to look at the Lord in a crucifix for it can give meaning to what is happening and hope to what awaits us after the pain.

Lord, help me like the saints to learn at the school of the cross.  Let me look at your cross and help me see an encouraging sermon.  Let me look at your cross and help me see hope.  Let me look at your cross and help me see inspiration, the will to carry on, the patience to persist and the joy of what is to come.  Jesus you suffered and died for love of me, let me suffer and die for love of you.  Amen.