Passion is a word that is overused these days. It can be associated with anything from Ann Summers to the commitment of a footballer to his sport.
The dictionary defines it as ‘a powerful emotion, such as love, joy, hatred, or anger’. Essentially, it means to feel strongly about anything. In fact, it means to feel so strongly that we take action in pursuit of that which we are passionate for.
This word comes from the Latin pati which means ‘to suffer’. In other words, to feel passionate about anything means to suffer in our physical and emotional self because of the longing to see the object of our passion fulfilled or achieved.
When we put on the Passion Play (and we are scheduled to do so next year, so please keep Good Friday clear), we are re-enacting the suffering of Jesus in pursuit of his bride – you and I. In his desire to be reconciled with us he went through the worst pain in every part of his being, but the result was salvation for the whole world – for all who ‘believe on his name’. In response to such a great outpouring of passion, what should our response be? Many of us are complacent with regard to the Passion of Christ. We are come-day go-day with respect to our commitment to his bride – that for which he poured out his life. We are dispassionate in our worship and in our love of his word. We are cold with respect to his people. But ‘if the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts’ (Romans 5:5), our passions should be stirred by that which God loves.
It was out of his passionate love for this World that God sent forth his son to be born in a stable, to suffer as a man, to triumph over the grave, and raise us up. As the carol says, ‘Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth’.
During this Christmas period, remember the passion of the father and of his son, and let your own passions be stirred again towards him.
God Bless!
Richard