It’s Lent… Yet Again

WED., FEB. 17, 1999, 8:58 AM
OFFICE, PULLIAM

Yes, o son, this is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, the season of painful… and joyous… remembrance. If you are a “good Christian” (or maybe it’s “good Catholic”?) you will give up something as a sacrifice, to help make you more aware of My sacrifice, as Jesus. Or… you may sacrifice some of your “free time” and rededicate yourself to the “pledges” you gave Lenore and son Bob for Christmas. Good idea?

For one who has been a Christian for many years, as you have been, it is somewhat of a strange juxtaposition of sadness and joy. And, knowing the WHOLE story it is increasingly difficult to accept the reality of the betrayal, trial, and crucifixion as being greater… or even equal to… that of the resurrection and My continuing Life. Just see it as a “mystical Both/And”. I was betrayed, but I “set it up”. I was arrested, and used none of My many powers to prevent or thwart this. I was tried, and I offered no real defense.

I had an opportunity to give My life so that many who accepted My “story” of being One with the Father, Almighty God… including you these many years later… would have their sins atoned for and forgiven. Oh, I still want you to come and tell Me of your life, including your “mistakes”, but you needn’t “grovel” as David did in many of his Psalms. Ask, and you shall be given. (9:16 / 9:17)

I realize this is “hard” for many of you Americans and others with some Western “sense of justice”. If you do wrong, there should be a penalty. Your culture has jails and prisons galore to house those who have been judged to be law-breaking. Your President, Bill, told some lies, and some (but not enough) wanted him removed from his elected office. Justice! Justice!

Obviously, My acceptance and forgiveness of you doesn’t completely permeate your justice system, but in realms of spirit, it is prime. And spirit is ultimate reality.

In Clinton’s case the “offense” was illicit sexual activity, but the charges were lying and trying to “cover up” this activity. The “sex matter” was not truly a federal crime. In My case the “offense” was claiming to be the Son of God, but this wasn’t a crime by Roman law… and the Romans were “in charge”. So the charges were something like causing civil unrest…subverting the Emperor.

It was My choice, as God, Christ, and Holy Spirit, to be condemned to crucifixion, wrongly, so that My death could be seen as a sacrifice. I did it for you! If I were actually guilty of a crime that deserved death it just wouldn’t have had the right “holy”, “noble” quality.

So I went to the cross undeservedly, just as a lamb doesn’t deserve to be killed and eaten for Easter dinner. That’s one of the images – I was an innocent lamb, slain for no good reason, but, as a result, your sins, though they be many… even scarlet… are forgiven… by the blood of the lamb. It’s sort of… two wrongs make a right… and quite a “right”!

So, if you are a good orthodox Christian you will focus… you must!… on the sadness of injustice and on My being taken to the cross, no more to preach, teach, heal, and show the power of God in earthly ways. The Jews of that time, and especially their leaders, were the “bad guy.” Judas was the “traitor”. The Roman ruler was weak, willing to accede to mob judgment, to keep the peace.

AND… as an enlightened Christian you perceive that I, as the Triune God decided to make salvation easy for some (including you). Sacrifice was “the Way”. As Jesus I said just enough to rile the Jews, accepted Judas’ betrayal as expected (someone had to be “the bad guy”… actually I liked Judas, and, as I’ve told you, he was quickly forgiven, with his suicide as another form of sacrifice), and said and did not enough to be acquitted. I went to the cross as a martyr, in the “best sense”. My body died, but My Spirit was, in this dying, freed to be more powerful.