"Jesus, I am reaching out to you, and I believe!"
Imagine the following scene:
You are standing on Calvary, very near the Cross, and view Jesus, our Lord and Savior, suspended on it from slightly behind, at an angle. Beyond Him you see another cross, and that one is empty.
That empty cross belonged to the Good Thief. That instrument of torture and death became his confessional, and after he recognized his Savior and repented of his sins, he accompanied Jesus into eternity as one of the first inhabitants of heaven.
So why are you seeing a cross standing empty, there in the distance just beyond Jesus?
The cross is empty because it represents each person's place in salvation history.
Blessed Mother stands below the Cross of her son, and the empty cross symbolizes every sinner and the choices we make to accept Christ's mercy and forgiveness.
So why are you seeing a cross standing empty, there in the distance just beyond Jesus?
The cross is empty because it represents each person's place in salvation history.
Blessed Mother stands below the Cross of her son, and the empty cross symbolizes every sinner and the choices we make to accept Christ's mercy and forgiveness.
Jesus wants every single soul to be saved, the Way of Sacrificial Love (the Way of the Cross) is our vehicle, and when we embrace God’s will, we take our place RIGHT NEXT TO JESUS.
A short distance away from you, the disciples stand at the foot of the Cross, the devoted
and sacrificial first Christians who handed their lives over to the service of God.
They were the very first Cristeros in the history of the Catholic Church. They are also the Cristeros through time, including the Cristeros of our era.
They were the very first Cristeros in the history of the Catholic Church. They are also the Cristeros through time, including the Cristeros of our era.
Among the group at the foot of the cross, you see one person in particular who is standing closest to the Cross. That person's arms are raised in the air
toward Jesus.
The person you see represents many different people.
The person you see represents many different people.
That person is the soldier
who reached up to offer our Lord gall and vinegar soaked in a sponge, and is also everyone who ignores Jesus in any way, and everyone who ignores Jesus suffering in those in need.
That person is also Longinus, who raised his arms to thrust a spear into the side of our Lord and then, when covered with the Sacred Blood and Water from our Lord's Sacred Heart, experienced a physical and spiritual healing, recognized His Lord and Savior, and repented of His sins. He then joined in the funeral procession after Jesus was lowered from the Cross.
That person is also everyone who experiences a change of heart and somewhere along life's journey, joins the procession as followers of Jesus.
That person represents you and me and every single person who reaches out to our Lord for any reason and says to Him, "Jesus, I believe in you!"
That individual is every person who raises their souls to Him with love, submission, and supplication and says, "Jesus, make my heart like unto thine!"
That person is also Longinus, who raised his arms to thrust a spear into the side of our Lord and then, when covered with the Sacred Blood and Water from our Lord's Sacred Heart, experienced a physical and spiritual healing, recognized His Lord and Savior, and repented of His sins. He then joined in the funeral procession after Jesus was lowered from the Cross.
That person is also everyone who experiences a change of heart and somewhere along life's journey, joins the procession as followers of Jesus. That person represents you and me and every single person who reaches out to our Lord for any reason and says to Him, "Jesus, I believe in you!"
That individual is every person who raises their souls to Him with love, submission, and supplication and says, "Jesus, make my heart like unto thine!"
Raise your arms to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, just as a small and trusting child does when it wants to be picked up, held, comforted, and loved. Say, "Jesus, I am reaching out to you; please pick me up, hold me in Your arms, and don't ever let go!"
God is so in love with you. + + +
God is so in love with you. + + +
