It is very difficult to know what to say after reading this story, especially on today. It is no wonder that audiences of Mel Gibson’s movie, The Passion, have been leaving movie theaters in silence for weeks now, after having seen the movie. The story simply takes your breath away and leaves you with a huge lump in your throat. So what do we do with this story? We remember it. We keep it. We live it every day, as we recall that we are the ones that He did this for.

When we are going through our own crosses, we remember this story.
When we are feeling alone or un-loved, we remember this story.
When we are feeling persecuted for doing what is right, we remember this story.
When we are feeling humiliated, we remember this story.
When we feel like we can’t go on, we remember this story.
When we suffer our own losses, we remember this story.
When we fall or are weak, we remember this story.
When our physical or emotion hurts over-whelm us, we remember this story.
When we are feeling abandoned by every one, we remember this story.
When we’re not sure how we are going to get out of a messy situation, we remember this story.
When we watch the suffering of our loved ones, we remember this story.
When we are treated unjustly, we remember this story.
When God asks for more than we think that we can handle, we remember this story.
When we’re not sure how to love some one, we remember this story.
When we need to forgive someone, we remember this story.
When we need to go to Confession, we remember this story.
When we bury those who are dear to us, we remember this story.
When we think that the devil is winning in our world, we remember this story.
When we reach out to help those in need, we remember this story.
When we stand up for the truth, we remember this story.
When we need to defend the innocent, we remember this story.
When we need to work for peace, we remember this story.
When we wonder if God really cares, we remember this story.
When we wonder if anybody really hears our prayers, we remember this story.
When we doubt God’s plans, we remember this story.
When we feel far away and disconnected, we remember this story.
When we doubt the power of suffering, we remember this story.
Each time we go to Mass, we remember this story.
Each time we kneel before the Blessed Sacrament, we remember this story.
Each time we pray in front of a crucifix, we remember this story.
Each time we think that we’re not good enough, we remember this story.
Each time we think that any other human being isn’t good enough, we remember this story.
Each time we feel tempted and under attack, we remember this story.
Each time we want to reduce this story down to a movie or a reading, we remember this story.
Each time that we think that we’ve heard this enough, we need to remember this story again.
Each time our cross seems too heavy, we remember this story.

Today we celebrate this world-changing event, because we know how this story is going to end. When we really need to remember this story is when we are up to our ears in our own sorrow, and so shattered in our own grief, that we don’t know how our Passion is going to end, then we need to remember this story.

This is the story for all times and all ages. This is the story that saves us.

May God bless us on this Good Friday, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, AMEN!!!

St. Maria Goretti… Pray for us !!!