He desired to rescue us

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind… You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:37,39 ESV)

Each year, when Easter comes around, I find myself overwhelmed by the thought of what Jesus went through for us. So much suffering, anguish, and pain He took in the hours before His cruel execution. Not to mention the mental distress of knowing what was coming. Yes, He knew the purpose behind it all, but it was clearly still terrifying. In fact, Jesus requested an exemption from the cross.

He could have held back, given up, or even called angels down to rescue Him. Why didn’t He? Because more than to end all the physical pain and mental torment, He desired to rescue us.

He loved without prejudice. When a Roman centurion came to Jesus, requesting healing for his servant, Jesus gladly healed the man. He loved the centurion, and his servant, as much as any other person. The Samaritan woman at the well was part of a foreign culture, but Jesus saw a hurting heart and showed her she was special to God.

If each of us loves God with all our heart, soul, and mind, we will naturally listen to what He says. We won’t put other gods before Him, take His name in vain, or forget to set aside time for Him.

There may be times we lose our way, disregard our Master, or even deny association. But just like the Prodigal Son, if we turn around and head toward forgiveness, our Father will run to meet us with open arms. [1]

We proclaim the Resurrection of Christ when his light illuminates the dark moments of our life and we can share that with others… With our attitude, with our witness, with our life, we say: Jesus is risen! Let us say it with all our soul. - Pope Francis

[1] Activated The Passion of the Christian