The Cross is the greatest sign of God’s love: Commentary Fr. Jorge Miró

Father Jorge Miró shares with Exaudi readers his commentary on today’s Gospel, Sunday, March 17, 2024, titled “The Cross is the greatest sign of God’s love”

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The Word of God that we proclaim on this fifth Sunday of Lent presents us with the prophet Jeremiah who announces a new alliance to us.

What does this new alliance consist of? It is not that God will send us new precepts, different from those he gave to Moses. The new alliance will be characterized because I will put my law inside them and write it on their hearts.

This announcement is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who, with his death and resurrection, will seal a new, definitive, and eternal alliance with humanity.

The Psalm prepares us to welcome this new alliance: O God, create in me a pure heart, renew me within with a firm spirit…, do not take your Holy Spirit from me.

The letter to the Hebrews proclaims to us what the pillars of this new alliance are: love and obedience to God the Father.

In the Gospel we contemplate some Greeks who approach Philip and say to him: Lord, we would like to see Jesus.

With this, they are manifesting the desire for God that exists in the heart of man: my soul thirsts for You. As Saint Augustine says: You made us for yourself, Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.

And Jesus responds by saying: The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified… when I am lifted above the earth I will draw everyone to me.

Jesus will be glorified on the Cross. With this he is giving us an important key to discipleship: if you want to see Jesus you have to enter into the mystery of the Cross, your cross. The Lord awaits you there to save you.

The Cross is the greatest sign of God’s love: God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life (cf. Jn 3:16). Jesus Christ has died for you, he has carried all your sins… No one loves you like He does! He is the grain of wheat that has borne much fruit.

This is how Jesus Christ lived and this is how he invites you to live if you want to participate in this new alliance: Jesus Christ has become the author of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

Don’t forget: you go up to heaven by going down! He who loves himself perishes, and he who hates himself in this world will be saved for eternal life. Whoever wants to serve me, let him follow me, and where I am, there my servant will also be. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor him

He who focuses his life on himself, seeking comfort, seeking only his interest, what is convenient, what is easy… is doomed to dissatisfaction and emptiness.

He who opens himself to the love of God and welcomes it, trusts in him, obeys him, and is willing to take up the cross… is prepared to receive the salvation that Jesus Christ brings us.

Cheer up! Ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit, to give you a new, generous and dedicated heart that can accept the salvation that the Lord gives you. God, who created you without you, will not save you without you (Saint Augustine).

Come Holy Spirit! (cf. Lk_11, 13).