August 2007: Were You There When They Crucified the Lord?

For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.    – 1 Cor. 1:18

For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.    – 1 Cor. 1:18

When I was working in Chiapas, Mexico a revelation of God’s love was offered to me through the lives, struggle and hope of the Mayan people of Acteal, Tenejapa, and Xoyep.

One day, while in San Cristobal de las Casas, a friend showed me a hand-painted ceramic cross. This cross was painted in brilliant colors, with a landscape of the mountains of southern Mexico. Most surprising was that in the place of Jesus was a Mayan woman with her arms outstretched, hanging on the cross.  There it was in full color: the revelation that the suffering peoples of the world are indeed the crucified Christ – being crucified by unjust systems, global greed, and racism to name a few. 

To live as a Christian is to bring them down from the cross of their suffering, poverty and death. Through love-action, or mercy-action, or justice-action we bring alive the will of God in human community and share in the Reign of God on earth.  

Prayer:  Merciful and compassionate God, convict us and strengthen us to share Christ’s work of the transformation of unjust systems that crucify the suffering peoples of the world, to systems rooted in your love, justice, mercy and compassion.  Amen. 

Tracy Hughes serves as a long-term volunteer with the Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) based in Colombia. She is currently serving in Israel-Palestine.