22 March 1985
Figueras, Spain

My dear Friends in Jesus Christ,

There is a Negro spiritual which some of the Christians in the southern part of the United States like to sing at this time of the year. The first line of the song goes: "Were you there when they crucified my Lord?" The answer that immediately comes to us is no. That was nearly two thousand years ago. Then, when you think a little bit more on the question, "Were you there when they crucified my Lord?" you feel as a Christian that you must say yes. Although I may not be able to see exactly how, as a Christian I believe that my sins had something to do with the death of Jesus Christ. As a Christian, each of us believes what St. Paul said, that Christ "loved me and gave Himself up for me." (Gal 2:20). We may not be able to see it clearly, but the truth is that each of us has said with the crowd of Good Friday, "Crucify Him. Crucify Him." (Jn 19:6). Every deliberate sin is a loud or a whispered cry, "Yes. Crucify Him. Crucify Him." (Ibid.).

"Were you there when they crucified my Lord?" No, I was not physically present, but let's suppose I was. What would I have done? Hammer the nails into His hands and feet? No, I could not bring myself to do that, nor could I bring myself to mock and jeer Him, as did the Pharisees. One does not hit another when he is down, much less a man who is gasping and dying. I think I would have drawn close to the group of women who stood some distance from the cross, among them the Mother of the young man being executed. But would I? I think I might have said: "I do not know these people. I can't do anything for them. I don't want to intrude on their sorrow." So, taking one more look at the man on the cross, I might have said: "This form of execution should be abolished. It's too grisly. Anyway, I had better get home. There's no point in wasting time here, for there's nothing I can do." The attitude which I have just described was taken up by many people, as St. John remarks, who read the title on the cross of Jesus, for He was crucified not far from the city.

"Were you there when they crucified my Lord?" Suppose I was there and suppose I stayed to see the end. I think I would have been changed in my outlook, for I would have heard Jesus say: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do....There is your Mother....This day you shall be with Me in Paradise....Into Your hands I commend my Spirit." (Lk 23:24,43,46). Such words, coming from a dying man on a cross, would have set me thinking.

These weeks of Lent are invitations to me to stay at the scene of the Crucifixion and to ponder the words spoken by Jesus. In these words you will find what the first reading of this evening's Mass calls "the secret purposes of God." (Wis 2: 22). "Were you there when they crucified my Lord?" No, but you can think long and hard about the words spoken on the cross: "Father, forgive them."(Lk 23:24). Is there anyone who is openly or secretly asking me for forgiveness? "Son, there is your Mother." (Jn 19:26). Do I really believe that and speak tenderly and with appreciation to Mary daily, as I would to my Mother? "Into Your hands, Lord, I commend My Spirit." (Lk 23:46). Am I always taking things out of God's hands and into my own, wanting to do things my own selfish way and not His?