But when Christ came as a High Priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation), he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, with the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies those who have been defiled so that their flesh is purified, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God!
     (Hebrews 9:11-14)

A few weeks ago, I went to my doctor for a normal checkup. During the visit, they asked if by chance I hadn't eaten, since it was a morning appointment. I said that I had eaten breakfast, as I do every morning. "Well", the doctor said, "I'd like to get some routine blood work done on you, but you need to fast for twelve hours. So sometime over the next few weeks, go to the lab facility and give blood for the tests." What a pain, I thought. I hate not eating breakfast, and I hate giving blood, ever since a nurse collapsed my vein about 15 years ago. I don't know if you've ever had a vein collapsed, but it's not fun. It's kind of like having a baseball stuffed under your skin, which of course turns all black and blue and ugly. Well, like anything else I don't want to do, I put it off for a few weeks. I finally decided to get it out of the way this morning, so I got up, had a glass of water and waited to go. I arrived at the lab, signed in, waited for a few minutes, and then was told to go to Room 1. The nurse prepared my arm, just said "little stick", and I waited for what seems like forever for her to collect the blood, although it was probably only a minute or so. She was done. She handed me a cotton ball to hold on the spot for a second, then put a band-aid on it. "All done. You can go." During the few minutes I was in Room 1, I had a thought...

I am wrongly accused of a crime. I am arrested with the help of someone I thought was a friend. My friends and colleagues abandon me. No one comes forward to post my bail. I am interrogated by the authorities, and indicted. At the trial, witnesses lie to the court in an attempt to discredit me. Even though the judge is somewhat skeptical of the testimony and the charges, the jury comes back with a guilty verdict. Applause breaks out in the courtroom as the verdict is read. The judge is forced to follow the sentencing guidelines, and sentences me to death. I am led away by the bailiff, who just laughs. While awaiting the execution of the sentence, I am abused and beaten by the prison guards. They steal what few possessions I have with me. Finally, after a time, I am led out of the cell and outside of the prison, to a courtyard. I am given a heavy beam to carry and told to proceed a distance away from the prison. I can't carry the beam myself, being so weak, so an onlooker is grabbed by the guards and told to carry it for me. We reach a small hill where a vertical pole stands, planted in the ground. It has a small block of wood attached to it near the middle. I am stripped almost naked. The beam is laid on the ground, and I am laid across it with my hands outstretched. Nails are driven through my wrists and into the beam. The pain is unbelievable. The beam is hoisted up and attached to the vertical pole. My feet are placed on the small block. And I am left, left to die. A few of my friends and family come to watch, but they are helpless to do anything. Many others who watch laugh at me and scorn me. "A common criminal", they say. "A loser." I try to push myself up to stop the suffocation, but eventually, it is no use. My only hope is for God to rescue me. But again, it is no use. There's nothing left. It is finished.

Can you even for a second picture the contrast? Can you appreciate the way in which we do anything in our power to avoid pain, avoid suffering, avoid death, and the ordeal which Jesus the Messiah was willing to undergo for you?

"But now God's righteousness, attested by the law and the prophets, has been disclosed apart from the law, that is, the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ's faith for all those believing. For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and lack the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a means of expiation through Jesus' faith at the cost of his blood, to demonstrate his righteousness in overlooking past sins in the forbearance of God; to demonstrate his righteousness in the present time, in order to be righteous even in justifying the one who lives from Jesus' faith." (Romans 3:21-26, translation by Ian G. Wallis

So what more can I say? Only one thing: "Thank you Jesus. Thank you for being willing to undergo what I would not be willing to do. Thank you for being faithful to God when I know I cannot be faithful. Thank you for showing the world that there is a Higher Power, one to be obedient to even when the whole world thinks you're crazy. Thank you for taking the difficult path for me, even as I strive to go the easy way. My hope is that someday I will be able to say to you face to face, thank you."

The life I now live in the body, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20, translation by Ian G. Wallis)

Contributed by David
Sunday March 11, 2007
Liturgical Year C