Holy Thursday marks the beginning
of our Lord going the distance–
going all the way–
to allow that distance
between him and the Father
in order to close every distance
between God and ourselves.
Our Lord Jesus permitted himself
to be separated from the Father–
enduring till his last breath
this unendurable distance between them.
As a result, no one among us–
not even the worst possible sinner–
can ever claim to be far from God.
Spend some time in prayer
mulling over this mystery
of our Lord’s self-sacrificing love.
What our Lord has done
is hauntingly symbolized
by an underwater bronze sculpture
by Italian artist Guido Galleti.
Called “The Christ of the Abyss”
(Il Cristo degli Abissi),
it is submerged somewhere off the coast of Italy
in the Mediterranean Sea.
Watch this music video prayerfully,
and let the words of the song
and the images lead you to prayer,
45 replies on “GOING THE DISTANCE”
Thank you dear Jesus for Your sacrifice for us sinners. We were never worthy yet You gave up Your life to redeem us. You endured so much pain for us yet we fail You time and time again. Forgive us, and never let us be parted from You.
“You Tore Yourself from Home
From Everything You Owned.”
It is clear that “distancing” is an act of LOVE. When the Holy Father sent his Divine Son to redeem the world, it was giving away His Beloved. Jesus in return embraced humanity.. everything that goes with it (except committing sin) to show his love to the Father. The “distant space” between Them, all for the love of mankind.
Jesus,
Thank you for allowing us to understand the spiritual pain you suffered to bridge the distance between us and God, our Father. And for showing us what it means to pray, “not my will but Thy Will be done.”
It is unimaginable how a father would leave his child in time of need, moreso in death. But God allowed that to happen to His beloved Son in order to save mankind. To me, it is one of the greatest mysteries in our faith. It is still unfathomable.
But His ways are not ours and I pray that I fully acknowledge if not understand the essence of Jesus’ passion.
Lord, You are so gentle. You’re always there. Letting me live life the way I want it to be. And when I ask, You give it. Yet at times, I’m not working to achieve these. Lord, remove idleness and frivolity in me and replace with your Spirit that I may now complete the tasks You want me to do. Help me Lord. I am nothing without You. But You can make all things possible.
Dear Jesus,
Our brother, our friend and our savior.
You who gently held us so we can be closer to the Father. Your pain and sorrows were the ones who brought us and led us to a life of grace. Thank you for your Light. Thank you for your Life.
Teach me, with your Blessed Mother Mary to fulfill and take joy of my vocation. May I also embrace my life’s season. May your atoning love reminds me always of the Merciful Love of the father. May this also leads me to be forgiving, be compassionate and be ready to listen and share my time to others. Amen
Jesus, thank you for bridging the distance that we ourselves have created. I am eternally grateful.
Jesus holds us gently on the palm of His hand. He is so gentle that sometimes we think that He is not there, but He never lets us go. We are precious to him!
No matter how far away I think I am, in silence, you are as near as ever.
Lord Jesus, thank you for your sacrifice of being distanced from God the Father through your passion and death so that I can never be distanced from Him or You. What love Lord. Thank you
Jesus you are capable of facing anything with LOVE and ACCEPTANCE. Show me how I can be like you.
Lord, thank You for Your sacrifices for us, Your people, to be closer to God.
Lord I put my trust in you!
Your sacrifice Lord has made it possible for us to have Eternal Life in Heaven. If it can save us sinners from the fiery pits of hell then we should be confident and trust in You completely that we will get through this pandemic and You are near; we just have to make an effort to call out to You even if you are by our side.
Yes, I truly believe it was Jesus who closed the distance between God and all people of the world when he sacrificed himself on the cross. He saw how we all were detached from God and did what had to be done to bring us all back to, close to God.
Still as sinners we sometimes “fall from grace” but by Jesus sacrifice we are never far away from God. We are always welcome to return to him.
What are we to do today. Now that we have separated his people. What do we do to reconnect in spite of the physical social distancing.
Any pain and brokeness Jesus has healed. Amen
Thank you to our frontliners who keep close to attend to those in need. Thank you for sacrificing the safety net of distancing so that, like Jesus, the caring continues.
An abyss is a dark, deep pit. This was the distance our Lord Jesus was willing to distance Himself from the Father to redeem us. How ungrateful we can be by distancing ourselves from Him when He did this for us. Lord, please help me find ways to be closer to You. Amen.
I share your deep thoughts and prayers of your beautiful reflection.
You are the perfect role model for “going out of the comfort zone”.
Emmanuel unto the Cross
Holy Thursday marks the beginning
of our Lord going the distance–
going all the way–
to allow that distance between him and the Father
in order to close every distance between God and ourselves.
So profound and powerful. Nothing much to say but thank you Jesus!
A Prayer Haiku
Far from the Father,
with us who distance from You.
Yes that is True Love.
My dear Jesus…words cannot express my gratitude for Your ultimate sacrifice for me. Lead me in a life dedicated to reflecting your kindness & compassion to all those around me??
“Shelter of the lost… Reveal your light… befriend our nights…’
Thank you, Jesus, for giving your all, for your enduring love that gives me life and the promise of eternal life with you in heaven. Amen
The Christ of the Abyss looks like the Christ the Redeemer on the mountain in Rio de Janeiro – so much alike. But so different as well.
Christ the Redeemer is triumphant, blissfully between earth and heaven.
The Christ of the Abyss is also triumphant – but from the depths, the abyss. It is not the birds circling him but fish. The background is not the blue sky but the blue green of the sea’s bottom. Sea in the Scriptures is the unfathomable darkness, watery Sheol. But here, out of the depths, when believers cry, Christ is there. Ahead of them. Ready to catch them when they fall to the great abyss. Ready to pull them from the bottom of the pit. Ready to lift them up to the surface.
The song and the video reflection feel like Good Friday dusk and evening through Holy Saturday. Christ hallowing hell. This is an intensified incarnation, Christ pitching his tent among us (Jn 1:14), even and especially in our darkest place and moments. Thank you, LORD, for being with us – out of the depths (Ps 130), the abyss.
This is beautiful. Thank you.
No amount of words of thank yous ever enough until you lead me to action Oh Lord. Please lead the way for me to please Our Father. Equip me O God to win this battle despite my sin disfigured soul. Mama Mary please pray with me. Ave Maria
There are no words, my God, to thank you enough.
Your love and mercy is eternal
Save us, loving savior. For by your cross and resurrection, you have endured so much to set us free. Amen.
Dearest LORD JESUS, THANK YOU for being both GOD, my SAVIOR & MAN, my FRIEND. I am reminded again that YOU DID NOT HAVE TO SUFFER AND DIE FOR ME/FOR ALL MANKIND, but YOU did so to cleanse all our sins and give all of us a “chance” to join you for ALL ETERNITY in Heaven. May your LOVE and SELFLESS EXAMPLE inspire me to be worthy of this GREATEST GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE WITH YOU, Amen.
Yes, dear God you became man to show your love for us.
Forgive me for abandoning you… my callousness and lack of concern for those whom you also loved and sacrificed for. Help me always to recognise You in those I encounter no matter how difficult for me to see you in them. Let me remember not to put in vain your sacrifice for love of US.
Teach me to be more discerning of what we need to do to be more loving and enduring at this time. Help me in this light so I can do more for others.
Teach me to be more discerning of what we need to do to be more loving and enduring at this time. Help me in this light so I can do more for others. Keep me under your care and guidance.
Thank you Lord for giving me this opportunity to be silence and give time to reflect on my relationship to you. Do believed that you are there with me even I’m forgetful of you. So grateful for everything.
Yes to all that. You should be the one we love and fear so we are assured of a place with you in heaven not the materials things in this world. We have failed but will try to make up for these in the days to come.
Yes to all that. You should be the one we love and fear so we are assured of a place with you in heaven not the materials things in this world. We have failed but will try to make up for these in the days to come. Silence is godliness.
You should be the one we love and fear so we are assured of a place with you in heaven not the materials things in this world. We have failed but will try to make up for these in the days to come. Silence is godliness. Give me gentle reminders Lord!
You are there Our Father. Sending my prayers to Italy too, the new ground zero. Coincidentally it is also where this submerged bronze statue was found. God bless us all. God bless Italy.
Lord God, as you able to sacrifice your life for me as a sinner, I do now appreciate your act of goodness even you have to be separated for a while with the Father. Grant Lord that I maybe able to give you back what have you done for me. Jesus grant me also the courage to do simple self-sacrificing love. That when I am down and nowhere to go, I may remember the sacrifice-love that you done for us. It is not going the distance anymore but going near with you. Thank you very much Jesus. I LOVE YOU.
Thank you Lord, for this Holy Thursday, and this beautiful song! ?
Thank you Jesus for enduring the distance from the Father during those moments, for your love for us!
Thank you, Lord. For sheltering me when I was lost, for filling my broken life. ♥️??
So touching prayer..
Thank You thank You Jesus