A Holy Wednesday Reflection

Hebrews 9
22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
23 Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself..

The concept of sin is simple, but it isn't easy. It's difficult to accept that human beings were created for a certain purpose (for our own good, for the good of others and for the good of all creation) but we fall short of it. We try, but we fail. Why? Because beneath the hood of that deficit is a false conception of what's good for us, for others and for creation. We do it our own way because we think in terms of our own way. And that's what breaks the world.

We were given these lives by God and he has expectations for them. How could he not? What he desires leads to the best possible outcomes, even if they remain obscure to us. That's why we follow. That's why we obey. Or not. We like our perceived outcomes better. We like what we like and assume it's right. How could it not be?

The concept of sacrifice is also simple, but not easy. When we fall short, there is a gap between what should be and what is, what's actually good and what we think is. It's not a spectrum. The difference between the two is as stark as life and death. To address that gap, that deficit, that difference, God has acted. He provides. Because God is merciful and committed to the purpose for which he created us even when we aren't, he doesn't cast us aside as failures. He provides a way. A "mediation" for sin. Something that can be done about it that speaks the language of life and death in no uncertain terms. Blood.

The sacrificial system of ancient Israel was a foreshadowing. God provided this way for the priest (a representative) to stand in the gap for everyone else. To acknowledge the deficit and to actually do exactly what God said to do in that very specific way. It was pure honesty and obedience. The priests and the sacrifices came and went. Until Jesus. When he became the priest and the sacrifice for us, nothing but him would ever be needed again. Always him. He appears in the presence of God on our behalf.

What this means is simple, but not easy. We are forgiven when we ask. Fully. But often we don't feel like we are. Our sin can feel defeating and hopeless sometimes. Too big for forgiveness and bloodier than the cross. Often our exasperation leads to acceptance of our sin, resignation or even justification borne of defeat. But I am certain of this: The power to overcome our sin and its power over us is found in the power of forgiveness. It's found when we really accept that Jesus is really enough. Once for all.

I need you and you need me because we both need Jesus. This is why we share the Holy Spirit of adoption as sons and daughters of God. This is why Jesus founded the Church and why, together, we celebrate the last Passover ever needed every week: To proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. To remember, really remember, Jesus is enough and to give thanks.