There Is A Dark Side To All f Us

 often get asked the question from kids at St. Pius X school, why did they crucify Jesus? He seems like such a nice loving guy? Why would people want to put a person like Jesus to death?
             There is something encouraging about the kids not understanding why Jesus is put to death. They are not yet fully aware of how powerful a force envy, jealousy and outright hatred can be. They are not aware of how dark the dark side of humanity can get.
             Holy Week is considered holy not because of what we human beings do in it but what God does through it. Judas betrays Jesus, Peter falls prey to cowardice and denies Jesus three times, Jesus is handed over by the very people who should celebrate his messiahship and kingship. The secular authorities torture and kill the Son of God. During Holy Week, our sinful and fallen humanity is put on full display.
We like to think that we would have acted better if we were in the shoes of Judas, Peter, Pilate or the Sanhedrin. However, to do so would miss the point of Palm Sunday. There is a dark side to all of us. When God calls us to follow Him towards a virtuous life, the darkness of anger, greed, jealousy, cowardice, or pride tempt us to put down our Crosses and follow the evil one instead.
The good news is that Holy Week helps to illuminate how powerful our dark side can be. We realize that without Jesus, without a Savior, we are lost. And the reason that Good Friday is good is because, out of love, Jesus chose not to let the darkness of our humanity ultimately triumph. He laid down His life to melt our hearts that had been hardened by anger, greed, cowardice and pride, so that we might dwell with Him bathed in the light of His glory.
 
God Bless,
Fr. Scott