The readings touch on the most profound mysteries of Christianity: why do the innocent suffer, why must the followers of Jesus deny themselves and take up their crosses?
Even the most profound revelation of Jesus, that he is God’s wisdom for humanity and that all who eat his flesh and drink his blood will have fullness of life, does not take away the mystery of human freedom.
In the last few years, I have become increasingly involved with death. This involvement has come from three sources: my clinical practice as a physician specializing in geriatrics, my work as a Jesuit priest at an academic medical center and my own attempts as an educator to improve the care of the