Why did Jesus suffer and die on the cross? He did it for love of each one of us — not generically but individually. Because Jesus is the all-powerful God Who is Love (1 Jn 4:16), He has a special, personal, individual love for everyone in existence. If we look at the hands of the crucified and glorified Jesus, each one of us will see his or her name written on the palms of His hands (see Is 49:16), right next to the hole from the crucifixion. When Jesus was dying on the cross, He pictured your face, and He had your name on His lips. Jesus died for you, knowing everything about you. He died specifically because of your sins and consciously for love of you.

When each one of us realizes that we have been and are loved  individually with a crucified, perfect, infinite, and divine love, our lives can no longer be the same. We must throw our palms and ourselves at Jesus' feet in worship (Mt 21:8). Knowing His personal love, we must cry out in faith: "Clearly this was the Son of God!" (Mt 27:54) Living in His love (Jn 15:9), we must live, suffer, and die for Him Who is Love, "so that at Jesus' name every knee must bend in the heavens, on the earth, and under the earth, and every tongue proclaim to the glory of God the Father: JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!" (Phil 2:10-11)

Nihil Obstat:  Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, July 23, 1998

Imprimatur:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, July 27, 1998