“Jesus dies “for” us not in the sense of “in place of” but “in solidarity with.”” - Richard Rohr

This struck a chord with me.

I have been thinking a lot about the crucifixion and how cheap it often feels to me. The idea of it being nothing more than a payment for services rendered, so to speak, a mere transaction, has sat less well with me over the years.

Thinking of it in terms of Jesus dying in solidarity with us, changes the perspective a bit. Particularly as I connect this back to the Christmas idea of God with us in my mind.

Jesus’ death on the cross is the ultimate display of incarnation, the divine being in the flesh. We do not typically think of the Divine suffering and dying. Yet, here is Christ suffering and dying. Here is Christ demonstrating, in solidarity with us, what it is to suffer well and to die well.

His suffering was purposeful. His death was meaningful.

God dying to God’s self and God using that death to reconcile all of creation to the Creator.

This is indeed Good.