Gift

"Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again."

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die...." John 11:25,26

Father Joy told us a story last Sunday that went something like this:

A Bishop was telling a story at a Mass one Sunday that went something like this:

a young man came into a Church and told the priest that he did not care if Jesus died for him, he didn't ask Him to, and he didn't want the gift.

The priest then told the man to go up to the front of the Church, to the huge crucifix hanging from the ceiling, and to yell at the top of his voice "I don't care that You died for me! I didn't ask ou to! I don't want Your gift!"

So the young man did so. He walked up to the front of the Church, to the Crucified Christ, and yelled at the top of his lungs "I don't care that You died for me! I didn't ask You to! I don't want Your gift!"

"Good" the priest said, now do it again!

And so the young man yelled again, this time with a little less might "I don't care that You died for me! I didnt' ask You to! I don't want Your gift!" as his voice was breaking and tears were streaming down his face

"Good" the priest said, now just once more...

And the young man stood there, and began crying in heavy heaves. He replied to the priest "I cannot do it again." and he looked up to the figure of Christ on the Cross.

"And who was this young man and what became of him?" asked the Bishop. "The young man is me." The Bishop replied to the Church full of people.

The moral of the story? Jesus died for all of us, that we all might have the chance to live in Heaven. It was a gift he gave selflessly. The ultimate sacrifice. He gave it for you, and me, and she and he whether or not we wanted it, or asked for it. Please accept his gift. The most precious gift you will ever be offered. And live forever in Him.

Happy Easter everyone.