Forgive them

And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."
– Luke 23:34

I listened today September 11, 2011 to the homily of Father Frank Pavone of Priests for Life on EWTN. And he made a very profound point. He said that many people asked "Where was God?" on that day of destruction and death. And he said that Christ was in the burning tower with the people dying there.

He went on to compare the suffering of those burned to death with that of Christ on the Cross. And I imagined that the burning tower contained within it the Crucifix of Christ as Manhattan became Golgotha.

If September 11, 2001 was the day of the Crucifixion, then we are still waiting for the Resurrection.

Since that day we have behaved like the criminal hanging on the cross beside Jesus who mockingly said, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!"

And we do not hear the voice of the other criminal who rebuked him saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong."

He then asked Jesus for forgiveness saying, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

Then Jesus forgave him of all his sins and said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

After that Luke tells us that "there was darkness over the whole land" from the sixth to the ninth hour. It seems to me that we are still living in that time of darkness; Christ is still suffering on the Cross.

It's time to forgive and to stop hating. It is time to pray for our enemies, "for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds."

Before this time of darkness ends we must stop mocking Christ as he hangs from the Cross. Instead, we must repent and ask for forgiveness. Only then will Christ's mission on earth be accomplished so that he can cry out in a loud voice, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit!" and give up his last breath.

And then Joseph of Arimethea, "a good and righteous man", can finally take down the body of Christ from the Cross and lay it in the tomb.

All these things must happen before the vigil can begin which will lead to the ultimate triumph and Resurrection of Christ.

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Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.