God’s Passion, Our Passion

God’s Passion, Our Passion

                                                                         - Pierre Wolff-

         Pierre Wolff is a notable teacher of discernment and Ignatian spirituality and an internationally acclaimed retreat master. He was born in Marseille, France. He ministered as a Jesuit priest for almost forty years, traveling to a dozen countries and giving retreats and workshops on Ignatian spirituality. In 1988, he became a priest in the Episcopal Church. He has devoted most of his life to helping people learn to pray, use discernment to make decisions, and consciously grow their spirituality. He is now married and lives in Connecticut, America.

“ God’s Passion, Our Passion” is a book help us discover more clearly about God, discover the God’s love through God’s passion. His passion is an occasion to us look back our sins, look back image of God died on the cross and feel the suffering that God experienced. Pierre Wolff  wrote this book with twenty seven chapters, but focused on three main themes: The Last Supper,  The cross of God and the forgiveness of God.

        The first, the Last Supper: Jesus knew that He must die, so Holy Thursday was a last meal between Jesus and His disciples. It was a separation. However, through The Last Supper, God gave us three things.  First ,  new commandment is LOVE. “Love each other as I have loved you” (Jn15,12). He invited us let love together, let love enemies and pray for those who hate us. He died for us because of love. It is not easy, but God did and he also want us to do like Him. Second, SERVICE. Through washing the feet for His disciples, Jesus wanted us to be humble to serve others. He wanted us to give up the selfishness and abandon themselves to serve those who in need with humility. Third, EUCHARIST. Jesus established the Eucharist, because God wanted to be with us always until the end of the world. He wanted to give us strength and consolation and especially nourish our spirits through Eucharist. God gave us all His love, served us as a servant and wanted to be with us forever, so He also wanted us to love Him and love others, serve others with humility and let’s come with Him everyday.

      The second, the cross of God: Judas sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, so He was arrested as a prisoner. MONEY made Judas betrays God, Philate ignores righteousness of God. For us, some people was willing to betray God; ignored the presence of God; step over cross for money. God had no sin, but He still was arrested and carried the cross. He was taken his clother, beaten, reviled. God had no sin, only because He loved us too much, so He was really to accept all sufferings. God carried the cross with a long trip without any complaint. He tried to finish his way with many injuries in his body. Therefore, He invited us carry the cross in our lives with sacrifice and trust in God. God never wants to give us suffering, but if this life doesn’t have “cross”, “ suffering”, maybe we will lost Him. Through the cross of our lives, He also invited us: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”(Matthew 11:28). God did not leave us, He was always beside us and waited us to come to Him. However, we didn’t know that, we only knew to blame God when we had a problem. We were not aware our crosses that God wanted us carry. He didn’t hate or wanted us to anguish, but through cross, God wanted to show His love in our lives.

        The third, the FORGIVENESS of God: we nailed God to the cross and he died on it. However, before He died, He had said: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luck 23,34). God was willing to forgive all our sins, although we were  mistreated Him. He died and brought a new life for us. He accepted willingly all suffering with great love through His death. Therefore, God invited us forgive for our enemies, for those who hate and hurt us. Only forgiveness just help us be closer together, can warm hurt hearts and make love bear fruit. If our lives don’t have forgiveness, we will live in hatred, conflict, war. Therefore, God brought foregiveness for us and invited us forgive others, too. Surely, to forgive for someone hurt us, it is not easy, but it requires us a generous heart, a big love. when we follow Him, we have to learn from Him many things, especially forgiveness. In this life, many times we made Him sad, disappointed and hurt Him, but He was always willing forgive and embrace us into His heart to console, share and encourage us. However, God also invited us come to Him, trust in Him, though we had many challenges, difficulties in this life.

          Through this book, I had more opportunity to discover and experience my life through the way that I have chosen to follow God. Actually,I was aware the God’s passion, but I have not really dedicated completely my body, my mind, my heart in the God’s love. I know that when I am aware God’s passion, I have to accept my passion in this life. I was invited  to abandon unnecessary things and myself, too. I have to give everything up to dedicate a love with God and accept the cross in my life with a belief in God. God is still beside me to invite me love, serve, forgive others and carry the cross everyday. I also invited to let God own my life, let come to Him in Eucharist everyday, let fogive for those who hate or hurt me, let love and serve others and carry cross with a happy attitude and trust completely in God to follow Him.