Points to Wonder

Today is the 21st day of March, 2008, Good Friday. I  just watched The Passion of the Christ. I exactly don’t know how many times i have seen this, maybe 15, or maybe more, but i haven’t yet understood the real story. That Jesus was betrayed by Judas, yes. That He was scourged and crucified for this betrayal, yes. That He died and resurrected, yes. The plot is clear. The sequences are in order.

Still, something is missing. What it is, I really don’t know. Maybe I will watch it again, and again, to grasp it.

I remember when i was on the third grade. I was then 10 years old. The school was Bongabong Elementary, a public school located in a remote area, at that time, three hours bus ride from the city of Davao. We were taught RELIGION by Mrs. Apolonia de la Cerna. The Seven Capital Sins, The Seven(?) Works of Mercy and many more which I have already forgotten. She also taught us prayers and The Holy Rosary

I studied well. When the year ended, I topped in my class. As part of the commencement exercises, I was to recite a short poem probably written by her. The title was The Passion of Christ. I can still remember it went this way:

The Passion of Christ
Jesus hanging on the cross
Tell me is it I?
There are teardrops in your eyes
Did I make you cry?

I have been a naughty child
As naughty as can be
Now I am very sorry, Lord
Won’t you pardon me?

When I recited this in front of the parents, I never knew what was the real message it brought. What was only clear were the words I uttered.

But that was then– many years ago. Looking back at it, I now fully comprehend the message. Clearly. Distinctly. A very short poem takes time to be completely understood because the words used may bear different meanings.

To understand the passion of our Lord? It will take a much longer time, sometimes a lifetime, sometimes never in a lifetime. The lesson we can learn from the DVD is a very small part of the whole. It is only a droplet compared to an ocean. Even thousands of DVDs could not complete it.

How can one grasp the lesson? The meaning? I am not an authority on this, neither will I try to illustrate things to achieve the answer. I may mislead others which I don’t want to. As I have said, I myself missed the answer. All what we can do is to keep on searching for it in an untiring way asking for Divine Intervention. Who knows, it might be just around the bend…

May we find the answer sooner!
Have a blessed Good Friday!