HE IS ONE WITH GOD, THE FATHER, THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE - OF ALL THAT IS SEEN AND UNSEEN. WHAT ARE WE COMPARED TO HIM. WE ARE NOTHING. WE ARE FINITE BEINGS WHO ARE BORN INTO THE WORLD. WE ARE CORRUPT, CRUEL AND SINFUL. WE DO NOT DESERVE THE LOVE OF JESUS, WHO IS THE SOURCE OF ALL GOODNESS, ALL PURITY, ALL LOVE. YET HE TRULY LOVES US, DESPITE ALL OUR FAILINGS AND SHORTCOMINGS. HIS LOVE AND MERCY IS SO INFINITE THAT HE IS ABLE TO LOVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US INDIVIDUALLY. WHEN CHRIST DIED ON THE CROSS HE DIED FOR THE SINS OF ALL HUMANITY INCLUDING OUR SINS.
HIS WAS MADE TO SUFFER IN THE MOST CRUEL AND AGONIZING WAY POSSIBLE. THE MOVIE - THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, SHOWS US FROM BEGINING TO THE END THE CONSTANT PAIN AND SUFFERING THAT OUR LORD WENT THROUGH IN ORDER TO REDEEM US. RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING, FROM HIS AGONY IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMENE, HE SUFFERED. HE WAS BEATEN BY THE TEMPLE GUARDS AND MOCKED BY THE CROWDS OF PEOPLE, WHO ONLY A SHORT WHILE EARLIER ON PALM SUNDAY HAD WELCOMED HIM AND HAILED HIM AS THEIR KING. HE WAS SCOURGED AND BEATEN SO MANY TIMES AND SO CRUELLY BY THE ROMAN SOLDIERS THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE THAT ANYONE COULD BEAR. THE GUARDS PUT A CROWN OF THORNS ON HIM. HE WAS MADE TO CARRY HIS HEAVY CROSS ALL THE WAY UP TO GOLGOTHA. HE WAS NAILED TO THE CROSS AND SUFFERED A TERRIBLE DEATH BY CRUCIFIXION.
YET HE BORE IT ALL FOR OUR SAKE BECAUSE HE LOVED US SO MUCH. EVEN WHEN HE WAS ON THE CROSS, SUFFERING IN AGONY, HE STILL LOOKED UPON US WITH LOVE AND FORGIVENESS AND CRIED OUT SAYING, " FATHER FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY ARE DOING." WHEN HE SAID THAT HE WAS NOT ONLY REFERING TO THOSE THAT DAY WHO HAD CRUCIFIED HIM BUT HE WAS REFERING TO ALL OF US FOR HE DIED FOR OUR SINS AS WELL.
HE LOVES US SO MUCH THAT HE FORGIVES US READILY. ALL THAT WE HAVE TO DO IS TO TURN AWAY FROM OUR SINS AND REPENT. FOR WHENEVER WE SIN WE ADD TO THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST. BUT IF WE REPENT AND HAVE FAITH IN HIM, JESUS WILL WELCOME US READILY WITH OPEN ARMS. AND WE WILL BE FILLED WITH HIS LOVE AND CHRIST'S SUFFERING WILL NOT HAVE BEEN IN VAIN.