Together on the Journey: A Weekly Word from Archbishop Hebda
Its hard to believe that we’ve come to the end of March already. Where did this month go?
In the 10 winters that I have spent in Minnesota, I have come to know that March is a mystery. We never know if it will go out like a lion or a lamb. From an Ash Wednesday snowstorm to nearly 70 degrees a few days later, this month of March had its fair share of both! As we continue our Lenten journey, this final day of March can remind us how two related images of our Lord– the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God – can help us gain a deeper understanding of the very nature of God and of his love.
Jesus is known by many names: King of Kings, Prince of Peace, Son of David, Son of Man, to name but a few. But the two titles I would like to highlight this week– the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God – could seem to be contradictory. The lion is ferocious and at the top of the food chain while the lamb is lowly, humble, and sacrificial. Yet that dichotomy captures the essence of our Lord – who is both the king of the world and the sacrificial lamb. Might and mercy.
In the Old Testament, we read about the Lion of Judah in Genesis. You will recall that Judah is one of Jacob’s twelve sons. To each of those sons is attributed a tribe. Among them, Judah’s role is special. As we read in Genesis: “Judah is a lion’s cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples” (Genesis 49: 9-10). The prophesy is that someone from the tribe of Judah would come and all the people would obey him. This brings to mind a powerful king, a victorious and glorious ruler. We believe that Jesus is that promised Messiah.
At the same time, we also read about the sacrificial lambs in the Old Testament. In the book of Exodus, to mark themselves during the first Passover, the Israelites were instructed to slaughter a lamb and smear its blood onto their doors, sacrificing it so that their own people would be saved. In this same way, a savior is prophesied in the book of Isaiah, where he says, the Lord, “like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,” will give himself over for his people.
How does this relate to our relationship with Jesus, the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God? Do we cower in fear of the lion’s wrath? Do we take for granted the lamb’s meekness and sacrifice?
When we look at Jesus, the Lion and the Lamb, let us not cower, but orient our lives in light of his ultimate power. Let us give our lives to him, as he did for us, trusting in the gentle Lord who desires mercy (Mt. 12:7) and himself provides the sacrifice. Once again, our faith leads us to “both/and” rather than one or the other.
I feel so blessed that this has been a month when we’ve come to see the Lord’s presence in both dimensions in our Archdiocese. Just recently we have been blessed to the see the Lord’ power at our Annual Men’s Conference and at an amazing gathering of young adults with Dr. Edward Sri. We’ve also been experiencing his gentleness as we’ve begun to gather with the delegates for our Synod for periods of quiet prayer and discernment. Our God is indeed amazing. As we head into April and prepare more proximately for the Triduum, may our hearts be filled with gratitude.
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