By Sen. Sue Bernard

During this Holy Week, we are called to remember both the darkest moments in the human life of our Savior Jesus Christ and the most joyous moment of his life, signaling our redemption.

Hello, I’m Senator Sue Bernard of Aroostook County, wishing you a blessed Holy Week and a happy Easter.

On Good Friday, The Son of God humbled Himself to take on flesh and to suffer the torture of the cross to pay for our sins — an eternal gift for humanity. This Good Friday, we follow our Lord as He is scourged, crowned with thorns, which pierced deep into his head, and willingly accepts carrying the cross to the place He would offer himself up for the salvation of humanity. As we ponder these events, we may ask: Why?

The answer lies in Saint John’s Gospel: “God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son: that whosoever believeth in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” It is this self-emptying, all-consuming love that bound Christ to the cross that day. God would not stand to lose us to sin, so He humbled himself and took on our nature, becoming man.

Innocent, He took on the punishment due to us. “Surely He bore our griefs and carried our sorrows.” He lived his whole life for us, so that we might live for him. “No greater love hath this, than to give one’s life for one’s friends.”

Christ died, so that not only would justice be satisfied, but we might reciprocate His love. Therefore, as we ponder Christ’s passion, let us take a moment to be grateful for the pain Jesus accepted on our behalf to free us from death. Be grateful for His profound love, His passion for us, which saw Him through this agonizing event.

And let us be grateful for Christ’s complete and perfect sacrifice — a death that triumphed over all death — so we may respond with joy in his Resurrection, live our lives for Him and follow Him home to be with the Father in Heaven forever. 

He is risen — Alleluia!

Senator Sue Bernard represents Senate District 1, consisting of 37 communities in Northern Aroostook County. She serves on the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee.