What does the celebration of the Lord's Passion mean? We must be very careful when we read and pray over these passages. Isaiah portrays one who appears to be a passive victim - he allows others to beat and abuse him for the sake of his fidelity to God and his mission. The famous Philippians passage portrays Jesus as the one who totally empties himself and assumes the lowest status possible - a human slave. Finally, the Lord goes to the cross wholly innocent of the charges against him and suffers a painful and humiliating death.

These are beautiful images of salvation and love, but these images have also been used by some to oppress people, telling them that they must silently submit to injustice and indignity. That is not God's intention, nor does God glorify suffering and death. Humility and surrender to God's will do not mean that we must become a victim or submit to others. We are definitely called to stand up for justice and to overcome evil with love. But these images tell us that when we face negativity and evil, we are not to respond in worldly ways. If we answer cruelty and violence in the same way, then we too become cruel and violent people. We must not become what we hate.