Readings for the Day:
Sermon:
This past year, the movie Silence came out in theaters. The movie is about two
Jesuit priests, played by Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver, who travel to Feudal
Japan to learn what has happened to their mentor, played by Liam Nieson.
When they get to Japan, they find themselves helping with the underground Christian movement that is being persecuted, oddly enough, by the Buddhists who are in power.
Andrew Garfield in particular has a lot of struggles. Particularly with the persecution and torture of his fellow Christians that he sees, while he can only stand idly by and watch. Often times, he is even there to witness the Japanese Christians as they are put to death. And he's particularly frustrated by what he often sees as God's silence.
When they get to Japan, they find themselves helping with the underground Christian movement that is being persecuted, oddly enough, by the Buddhists who are in power.
Andrew Garfield in particular has a lot of struggles. Particularly with the persecution and torture of his fellow Christians that he sees, while he can only stand idly by and watch. Often times, he is even there to witness the Japanese Christians as they are put to death. And he's particularly frustrated by what he often sees as God's silence.
But there are various parts of the film where Jesus does speak to him. At one
point, when it seems all hopeless, all futile, he hears Jesus' voice saying "I
understand your pain. I was born into this world to share man's pain."
And at the point when it seems all hope is lost of Andrew Garfield, when it seems that he has completely given up, he hears Jesus say "I suffered beside you. I was never silent."
Today, we remember the suffering that Jesus experienced, even unto His death. Because the way in which Jesus was killed was truly horrific. First there's the psychological torture of the false witnesses brought against. Of the secret and unlawful trial the Sanhedrin, those who were supposed to represent God's will and Justice, made Him face. There were the Roman soldiers who mocked him, spitting on Him and subjecting Him to flogging. And there was the fact that all His disciples, those who should have been there with Him, were no where to be found.
And then there's the physical part. Being nailed to the cross. This was a mode of death designed to force its victims to hold up their own weight, lest they suffocate from their lungs not being able to rise up to take in air.
And this would have gone on for hours. From noon to 3 in Jesus' case. Longer for some. The torture would continue until the Romans got bored. And then they would break their victims' legs so that they would die faster.
This form of death was designed to be cruel. And it was designed to be visible so that anyone who got any ideas would think twice before messing with the Roman Empire.
And at the point when it seems all hope is lost of Andrew Garfield, when it seems that he has completely given up, he hears Jesus say "I suffered beside you. I was never silent."
Today, we remember the suffering that Jesus experienced, even unto His death. Because the way in which Jesus was killed was truly horrific. First there's the psychological torture of the false witnesses brought against. Of the secret and unlawful trial the Sanhedrin, those who were supposed to represent God's will and Justice, made Him face. There were the Roman soldiers who mocked him, spitting on Him and subjecting Him to flogging. And there was the fact that all His disciples, those who should have been there with Him, were no where to be found.
And then there's the physical part. Being nailed to the cross. This was a mode of death designed to force its victims to hold up their own weight, lest they suffocate from their lungs not being able to rise up to take in air.
And this would have gone on for hours. From noon to 3 in Jesus' case. Longer for some. The torture would continue until the Romans got bored. And then they would break their victims' legs so that they would die faster.
This form of death was designed to be cruel. And it was designed to be visible so that anyone who got any ideas would think twice before messing with the Roman Empire.
Now I could have gone into less detail here. I could have said "stop. Trigger
warnings here." as we hear so often in today's world. But I didn't, because it is
important to understand just how much Jesus suffered. It's important to realize
the truth it took Andrew Garfield so long to see in the movie Silence.
It's important for us to see that no matter what horror, what trouble, what pit of despair we find ourselves in that Jesus is right there with us. Because He has suffered just as much, if not far worse than we have. Because when we pray to Jesus, we have someone who will sympathize with our pain. Because He knows what it's like to suffer. He knows what it's like to be hurt.
So when we find ourselves in dark times, we have comfort. Because all we have to do is look at the cross. All we have to do is remember that our Lord died for us and we will know that He is there with us still in the midst of our own suffering.
It's important for us to see that no matter what horror, what trouble, what pit of despair we find ourselves in that Jesus is right there with us. Because He has suffered just as much, if not far worse than we have. Because when we pray to Jesus, we have someone who will sympathize with our pain. Because He knows what it's like to suffer. He knows what it's like to be hurt.
So when we find ourselves in dark times, we have comfort. Because all we have to do is look at the cross. All we have to do is remember that our Lord died for us and we will know that He is there with us still in the midst of our own suffering.