Reflection On John 18: 1-19: 42

One of the songs Burl Ives made popular is entitled: “Four Initials on a Tree.” The story is about a man coming back to his home town and walking past his old high school. He sees a tree where he and his girl friend, years ago, had carved their initials. They drifted apart then but the initials are still there. The lyrics go something like: “Four initials on a tree, that’s all that’s left of love.” On Good Friday and Easter Sunday every year, many people just drift back into Church for a little visit. Perhaps it’s a tug of conscience or a bit of nostalgia that brings them there. May be they remember an old love affair with the Lord when they were young. We can all remember those years as children when we did so much for Jesus – our little deeds done out of deep faith and high ideals then came the drifting years. We forgot about our promise to love Jesus to the end of time – and beyond. Notice that those four initials are still there today on the tree of the Cross: JNRJ, Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judaeorum, Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. For us He died to keep His promise of eternal love. If our love for Him has grown cold, we can rekindle it again, for true love is everlasting. Hence the Cross of Christ becomes a KEY for us – a key to the nature of God – a key to the mystery of inequity – a key to our own hope of salvation and a way of life through death. Listen! You may hear Him saying, “I would like to renew with you today an old friendship!” signed, JNRJ.