“I have a God who suffers with and for me because he loves me,” Bishop Edward Malesic told parishioners at SS. Cosmas and Damian Parish in Twinsburg.
The bishop spent time on Feb. 24 resuming a Lenten tradition by visiting with parishioners, enjoying a fish fry and praying Stations of the Cross in the church.
“I like Lent,” he said, noting it’s a time of renewal and growth, comfort and grace.
Bishop Malesic told those gathered for stations that he wasn’t very religious as a child. He attended Mass regularly with his family, but didn’t have a passion for his faith – yet.
As a teenager, he recalled being introduced to the Passion through his older brother’s “Jesus Christ Superstar” album. “I was fascinated by this man’s suffering and death. We have a God who is willing to suffer for us and his suffering is redemptive.”
He mentioned the fall of Adam and Eve, which introduced sin to the world.
“All they had to do was not eat the fruit of that one tree. The Evil One tempted them, they ate the fruit and the world was never the same. Sin and death entered the world. We live in a flawed world because of the sin of Adam and Eve,” the bishop said.
But Jesus entered the world and redeemed us, he added. “He was obedient unto death. All he had to do was lie – but he told the truth and died the death of a criminal. He rose three days later and we follow him.”
The bishop said we all experience the results of Adam and Eve’s original sin but the Lord loves us and there is no sin he can’t forgive. “The way of the cross is the way to heaven. Walk with him (Jesus)” from death to life,” he said.