Holy Saturday

On this Saturday so many years ago, one man had entered into Paradise and one, we presume, was in hell.

The men crucified with Jesus, on either side of Him, reacted to the happenings of Good Friday very differently.  One of them mocked and debased Jesus.  The other one through some kind of epiphany told the mocker that they were justly being crucified whereas Jesus had done nothing wrong.  He asked Jesus, "Remember me when you enter into your Kingdom."  And Jesus said, "I tell you, on this day you will be with Me in Paradise."  Isn't that powerful?

By asking Jesus to remember him in Jesus' Kingdom, he was really saying that he believed Jesus to be the Christ, the Messiah.  Who else would have such a Kingdom?  And for a human being, it is this recognition, this acceptance of Jesus as the Christ that is conversion.

Now about hell.  No one wants to talk about it.  Some deny it exists.  The Biblical description of hell is terrifying and frightening.  There is the wailing and gnashing of teeth.  There is unending fire.  But for those who believe in Heaven, then because good and evil are opposed to one another, there must be a judgment place where evil goes.

Who doesn't struggle with the idea that people are condemned to such a place as hell?  I have always felt so torn about it and sometimes I still am.  I was checking out some websites on the internet one day about seven years ago, and found a website that deals with the visionaries of Medjujorge.  One of the now grown children wrote about hell.  If you believe what happened to these people as children, then you believe that they talked to Mary, the mother of Jesus. 

One of the visionaries, I believe it was Mirjana, wrote about hell.  Her testimony is absolutely moving and it spoke a complete and utter truth to me.  She said that God does not send anyone to hell.  People send themselves because they have completely rejected God in every way and want nothing to do with Him.  They have rejected the Spirit; they have totally turned away from God and have spurned Him.  And according to this visionary, they are hardened against God to such an extent that they even reject heaven.

This explanation freed me from thinking that God sent believers to hell just because of their sins.  Because now I could understand clearly that those who deny God could not be part of God's Heaven.  And yet, I feel sorrow for those who push God away.  According to a friend of mine, this is the burden for the lost that believers bear.  And it is this very sorrow that should keep me writing a post on this blog every single day that at least hints at the treasures that our God has waiting for us who love and serve Him.  Wouldn't it be worth it if just one person turned toward God?  Loving and serving God is not bondage; it is freedom.

Knowing that there is a God who loves us and sent His son to redeem us is truth, and those of us who know this truth are bound to share it.  Living in a small town fanned the flames of my love for God, and living in a small town allowed me to meet people to whom God would surely say, "You are not far from the Kingdom of Heaven."  Be not afraid to make a fool of yourself for God. 

May each of you have a most blessesd Easter and hear the words of the apostles and the women, "He has risen."