I am focusing on our very short reading from Hebrews today. These three verses challenge our understanding of who Jesus is, unless we dig deep into the meaning of them. Let us begin.
“In the days when he was in the flesh.” That’s how the reading from Hebrews starts. This is obviously a time being referred to that was before the crucifixion. But was Jesus crying out in this type of prayer because he was wanting to do something about what was coming toward him in the way of the cross? According to St. Thomas Aquinas, “he did not weep on his own account: he wept for us, who receive the fruit of his passion.”
But this first verse seems to say that his prayers were not answered, it SEEMS to say that, because he was not saved from death. But then it also says that he was heard because of his reverence. No, the reality is: his prayer WAS heard. Because Jesus is human, as well as divine, his humanity did not want to face death. He had a natural instinct to live. But on the other hand, he wished to die through a deliberate and rational act of his …read more
Source:: Fr. Frank Jindra’s Homily Podcasts