Motivated By Love Not Fear
The Cross — Crucifixion
Jesus’ Passion story speaks for itself in many ways. I would like to offer a few thoughts about God’s motivation to send his Son to live among us. Many believe that God sent his Son to earth because of the sin of Adam and Eve and our own sinfulness. God’s Son had to suffer and die to atone for our sinfulness. It is viewed as transactional: we sin, God sends Jesus and his sacrificial death reconciles us with God. This view is saying that humans forced God’s hand to save us.
Here is an alternative perspective. Blessed John Duns Scotus, a Franciscan theologian (13th c.), taught that as the Alpha and the Omega, Jesus existed from the beginning as God’s Word (John 1:1). God determined, from the get-go, that Jesus would visit his people in the Incarnation. Out of love, God wanted to be in communion with God’s people from the start. Even if we had not sinned, Jesus would have walked the earth. “The God-man would have entered creation and human history as the perfect model of the human being fully alive under any circumstance” (www.franciscanmedia.org).
What Jesus did out of love was to suffer and die in solidarity with us. We are saved because of Jesus’ love for us and willingness to be fully human to the point of suffering and death. Blessed John Duns Scotus believed that God was motivated by love instead of our sinfulness.
God does not desire to punish the sinner. God desires that we all return to God. There is nothing more that God wants for every person on the earth. And in Jesus’ suffering and death, we have hope in our resurrection. May you and I be motivated out of love and not fear.
Call to Action: In the comments below, share your thoughts on God’s great love. How does Christ’s Passion speak to you?
Below I have attached a short Good Friday message from Sr. Norma Pimentel. Take a moment to listen.
