For our benefit, He was made to bear sin (cf. 2 Cor 5:21), leading the Father to place upon His Son the burden of our transgressions. In the words of Pope Benedict XVI, this act represents a “turning of God against himself” (Deus Caritas Est, 12). God’s love extends even to His adversaries (cf. Mt 5:43-48).
The dialogue that God seeks to establish with each individual through the paschal mystery of His Son is far removed from mere idle talk, reminiscent of the ancient Athenians who “spent their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new” (Acts 17:21). Such trivial conversation, driven by a hollow and superficial curiosity, epitomizes worldliness throughout history; in contemporary times, it can manifest as the inappropriate use of media.
A wealth to be shared, not hoarded
Placing the paschal mystery at the heart of our existence compels us to empathize with the suffering of the crucified Christ, reflected in the countless innocent victims of conflict, assaults on life—from the unborn to
the elderly—and various forms of violence. This suffering is also evident in environmental catastrophes, the inequitable distribution of the earth’s resources, human trafficking in all its manifestations .