Passiontide begins. Our focus sharpens upon recalling and contemplating the sorrows of Jesus. We see how much Jesus has loved us and how much we ought to love Him in return.

The Passion of Jesus has opened again the way to heaven. It is the cause for our hope.

Jesus’ Passion teaches us in a concrete manner that in the Christian life we must be able to accept suffering for the love of God. This is hard as our human nature prefers comfort and pleasure. It does not correspond to our inclinations, but on the contrary, it opposes them.

Yet, the teaching is from the One Who is “the Way, the Truth and the Life,” the loving Teacher of our souls – Jesus – who desires only our real good. Thus, if Jesus commends suffering to us, it is because suffering contains a great treasure for us.

We marvel how Jesus has transformed suffering! Through Love Alone Jesus transformed the Cross, a ghastly instrument of torture, and opened the way to our eternal salvation. Keeping our sights set squarely upon His Love, emboldens us to persevere through all suffering to an ever greater love.