The Second Article (A.C. continued):
What is this? or What does this mean?
I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father in eternity, and also a true human being, born of the virgin Mary, is my Lord. He has redeemed me, a lost and condemned human being. He has purchased and freed me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver but with his holy, precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death.
To ponder:
The cross is a reminder of how humans have tried throughout history to destroy visions of righting relationships that involve transformation of tradition and transformation of social relations and arrangements sanctioned by the status quo. - Delores Williams, Sisters in the Wilderness
Our view of the cross:
My lived experience as a Black woman of Christian faith informs the way I interpret the death of Jesus on the cross. Black women have long been on the receiving end of violence and have suffered in every aspect of their lived experience. This means I and others reevaluate Jesus' suffering and death on the cross, and seek to move people from an individual to a collective focus.
Glorifying the suffering of Christ and degrading the goodness of a person have led to the justification of redemptive suffering, the perpetuation of injustice, and a complacency that prevents people from addressing oppressive systems and structures. They have also made it easier for people to focus on their individual state rather than the communal reality.
What if we viewed the cross and the human condition through an alternative lens, one that uplifts the uniqueness of Jesus' suffering and seeks to eradicate injustice, oppression, and suffering?
Prayer:
Mothering God, help us to let go of ways of being and thinking that limit our knowledge and our experience. Open us up to new ways of thinking and being. Amen.
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