THE MEANING OF MEANINGLESSNESS
Brothers and sisters,
May the Lord give you his peace!
Standing by the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ and witnessing His Passion, hearing His cry, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?", seems meaningless; is this not the end? Gazing at His tortured face and body, the weeping of His mother, and all those who tormented Him and sought His death... So many had followed Him, yet now almost everyone had abandoned Him, save for a few women and one disciple; is this the legacy of the Son of God, the Messiah?
Millions who are disenfranchised, displaced, or sick; children dying of hunger; countless crimes against the poor and the vulnerable; and the few powerful ones, those who have everything yet remain so empty, so fearful, so lost... is this not meaningless?
We must take a step back... We must go to the Garden of Gethsemane and, there among the olive trees and rocks, listen to the Lord’s cry: "Abba, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not my will, but Yours be done..." Jesus does not falter in fulfilling God’s will, the salvation of all humanity; though betrayed, tortured, and dying on the cross, He remains faithful to God and to His mission.
We must also take a step forward and behold the glory of the Resurrection and new life in God, free from all limitations and weaknesses. Yet, this cannot be reached by any means other than a sacrifice born of love. Suddenly, Christ’s sacrifice acquires meaning.
His prayer, His communion with the disciples, and the Eucharist serve as the pledge of eternity and of the meaning behind every suffering and sacrifice. Living in love and a readiness for sacrifice, accepting the cross even when another path is possible, and being conformed to Christ, constitutes the only true meaning of human existence, of faith, and of hope for eternity. Everything else is meaningless...
May the Lord bless you from the Holy Garden of Gethsemane!
