For our sake, He was made to bear sin (cf. 2 Cor 5:21), causing the Father to lay upon His Son the weight of our transgressions. As Pope Benedict XVI described it, this act is a “turning of God against himself” (Deus Caritas Est, 12). God’s love extends even to His enemies (cf. Mt 5:43-48).
The relationship God seeks to build with each person through the paschal mystery of His Son is far from mere idle chatter—unlike the ancient Athenians who “spent their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new” (Acts 17:21). Such shallow conversation, fueled by empty curiosity, has long exemplified worldliness; today, it often appears in the misuse of media.
A treasure meant to be shared, not kept
Centering our lives on the paschal mystery calls us to share in the suffering of the crucified Christ, which is reflected in the countless innocent victims of war, attacks on life—from the unborn to the elderly—and all forms of violence.