Our Passion
What is passion? Dictionary definitions include “ardent affection, devotion to an activity or concept, overmastering feeling or conviction,” and yes, “the sufferings of Christ between the night of the Last Supper and his death.” Truly, Christ’s was—and is—the greatest passion because it is driven by love of God and humanity.
God so loved us that he humbled himself by entering the world as the Son of Man to save us from damnation. For our salvation, Christ carried every sin, sorrow, and suffering on the road to his crucifixion. Through him, we are healed and born again so that we may enter the kingdom of heaven—all made possible through the passion of Mary.
This humble handmaid opened herself body and soul to God for the conception of Christ to take hold within her by the power of the Holy Spirit. From then on, Mary has dedicated herself to her Son’s mission of redemption. Our Lady intercedes on our behalf, bringing us and our humanity closer to her Son who leads us on the path to heaven.
From the rosary’s mysteries, we see the passion of Jesus and Mary throughout their lives, so that which was promised by God would be fulfilled. The Joyful and Luminous Mysteries, with their lessons of faith, charity, humility, obedience, acceptance of God’s will, and desire for holiness, prepare us—as Jesus and Mary were prepared—for the Sorrowful Mysteries that open the way to the Glorious Mysteries.
Passion led Jesus and Mary through the greatest pain of the crucifixion to reach the greatest glory. The resurrection of Christ is a promise kept, confirming all of Christ’s works and teachings, that opens the pathway to a new and better life. By Mary’s intercession, we are never alone on that pathway if we choose it.
What drives our passion determines which road we take in life. With Jesus to lead us and Mary by our side, we can partake in our Lord’s mission to redeem ourselves and our world. We are called to love our God with our entire being so, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ can live in us and through us to love one another as God loves us. In other words, with Holy Week and Easter in our midst, may the love of God and humanity be our passion that drives our daily living and keeps us on the road to heaven.