LOVING ONE'S NEIGHBOR, THE WAY TO GOD

y life is a journey. A journey from day to day. A journey from one aspiration to another. Never do I cease dreaming. Nothing can satisfy me.

In every wish of mine, whether big or small, I seem to have forever been pursuing an infinite happiness. At first I didn't understand. But as time went by, I came to know the infinite happiness I've been seeking for is God Himself. My whole life, therefore, is a search for Him regardless of my knowing it or not.

Seeking out God is my life's greatest concern. I say my prayers, go to confession, receive communion, spend lots of time on meditation, and use countless other means with a view to looking for Him. But many a time have I wondered: Is it true that I've found Him? Not a vague and strange God, but a God intimate and living, named "Love" (1 JOHN 4:8). Is there any good way for me to meet Him?

For the answer, I look up at Golgotha on the Good Friday afternoon. Various kinds of people go there to watch the execution of criminals. Having analyzed the scene carefully, I see that:

The first type of men who haven't met God are the passers-by.
The Bible writes: "Seeing Jesus on the cross, the passers-by jeered at Him, saying, 'You that are well-known for miracle-working, you said you were going to tear down the temple and build it back again in three days. Why not save yourself now?'" (MATT. 27:39-40)

On hearing this, Jesus keeps silence, saying not a word. And the passers-by see nothing but a seemingly despicable fellow. They can't recognize that person as God.

Why? Because they are unmerciful.

Seeing a man suffering agonies in both mind and body, they not lonely remain merciless but also sneer at him. They give him not a word of comfort and yet hurl insults at him. It is their merciless attitude that has prevented them from meeting God.

The second kind of men who haven't found God are the chief priests and the scribes.
According to the Gospel, the chief priests and the scribes defy Jesus, saying: "If you're the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, and we'll believe you" (MATT. 27:42-43).

On hearing this, Jesus remains speechless, giving no reply. And they only see a defeated person. They haven't recognized Him as God.

Why? Because they are wicked.

They themselves have flung mud at Jesus. They themselves have invented a plot to arrest Him. They have even gone to the length of perjuring themselves and exciting the people to put Him to death. Now He appears a captive, having been defeated and put to the extreme torture. They are not satisfied, however. They still want to make more fun of Him. It is their wicked attitude that has kept them from meeting God.

The third group of people who haven't found God are the soldiers who execute the sentence.
The Passion Reading says: "The soldiers who had nailed Jesus to the cross looked up, mocking, 'You King of the Jews, come down off the cross and we'll believe in you'" (LUKE 23:36-37).

On hearing this, Jesus remains silent, giving no answer. And those soldiers only find him a criminal. They haven't recognized Him as God.

Why? Because they are brutal.

It goes without saying that in executing their superior's order, they have to crucify Jesus. But they have gone beyond the limit of their duty. No one compels them to make fun of Him. But they do it out of their demagogy and brutality. It is their brutal attitude that has prevented their meeting God.

The fourth type of person who hasn't met God is the robber on Jesus' left.
The Gospel records, "One of the criminals who were hanged turned to Jesus, abusing Him, saying, 'If you're the Savior, save yourself and me'" (LUKE 22:39).

Upon hearing this, Jesus keeps silent, uttering not a word. And that robber merely sees a fellow looking like a contemptible sinner. He hasn't recognized Him as God.

Why? Because he is mean.

He himself knows what suffering is. He must have empathy toward the person in the same boat. And yet he hurls insults at Him. What's more, he is self-centered. There are three of them who bear the same sentence, and yet he thinks of nobody else but him. How about the robber on the right? It is his mean attitude that has kept him from meeting God.

The fifth kind of person who has found God is the robber on Jesus' right hand.
He isn't so merciless as to take sides with the passers-by; on the contrary, he alone dare declare Jesus to be innocent.

Nor is he wicked as the chief priests and the scribes who aim to bring Jesus down to the ground. But he says, "Remember me when you come into your kingdom" (LUKE 23:42). That means: "You're a just and holy man and as such you'll go to heaven." He makes a clear distinction between an innocent person and a culprit. "We're getting what we deserve for what we did, " he says. "but this man, he has done nothing wrong" (LUKE 23:41).

Nor is he mean as the robber on the left. For his act of openly and strongly siding with Jesus has no doubt consoled Our Lady a lot.

Seeing that he has true love for others, Jesus grants him the grace to know Him. "This day you shall be with me in paradise" (LUKE 23:43). He has found God.

In a word, his secret of finding God lies in the fact that he loves his neighbor. Seeing beside him a person in agonies, he feels deep compassion on him. Taking heed of Him, he finds him victim of an injustice. So he justifies Him. He alone dare defend Him while thousands of other people are unanimously condemning him. He alone dare speak while everybody else, including Jesus' closest friends, dare not open his mouth to console Him.

Looking back at myself, I cannot help feeling terrified.

So far, who knows, I may have been behaving not unlike those first four kinds of men. Each time I ill-treat somebody, it's God that I ill-treat. And that's the very reason I haven't found Him.

Teach me, O Lord, to love my neighbor. I admit this is the way to You. You're waiting for me behind the suffering. Teach me to love them so that through them I may meet You, for whom my heart is restlessly yearning.