This Morning Air episode with John Morales and Fr. Brice Higginbotham is like sitting down with a wise Cajun priest (he’s from Louisiana, y’all) and talking through one of the biggest questions in Christianity: Why did Jesus have to die such a brutal death on the cross?
Wait, WHY Did Jesus Die Like That?
Fr. Brice gets straight to the point:
No cross = no salvation.
Without Jesus’ death, we’re still stuck in our sins, and heaven is closed for business. 
Yeah, it’s intense. He even said, “We killed God.” 
Not just the Romans… but all of us through sin.
Yet, that is what makes it Good Friday. Because through the worst thing ever done, God pulled off the greatest rescue mission in history. 
But Couldn’t God Have Just… Snapped His Fingers?
Totally. Fr. Brice admits it.
God could’ve picked another route. He’s God. But according to St. Thomas Aquinas, the cross was the best way.
Think of it like this:
You could walk to work… but taking your car is way better.
So yeah, God could’ve saved us differently… but this way made the most sense for who God is and what He wanted to show us.
So What Was He Showing Us?
Three big things:
– “I’m with you.”
On the cross, Jesus says: “You’re not alone in suffering. I’m right here in it with you.”
He doesn’t just sit up in heaven watching us cry. He enters into it. He bleeds with us.
– “I’m paying your tab… as one of you.”
Humanity sinned, so humanity needed to make it right.
BUT… only God could actually pull it off.
So, what does God do? He becomes man. 
Jesus = the perfect combo of divine + human = the only One who could really make up for sin.
– “This is what real love looks like.”
Not the Instagram-filtered kind.
The “I’ll suffer and die for you even though you’ve sinned” kind.
Jesus on the cross = the ultimate model of self-giving love.
But What If I’m Still Struggling With This?
Father Brice shares so much truth.:
“Easter comes after Good Friday.”
Yes, Jesus died. But then… He rose. 
That’s our HOPE.
If we stay in a state of grace, then we are on the road to resurrection with Him.
TL;DR:
Jesus didn’t have to die that way… but He chose it for love 
The cross proves God is with us in our mess 
It’s also how justice and mercy collide
It gives us a roadmap: love like this 
Most importantly: The Resurrection is real. That’s where our hope lives
So, the next time you see a crucifix, don’t just see suffering… see love, purpose, and victory.
And if you’re ever tempted to think, “God doesn’t understand what I’m going through…”
Just look at the cross. He gets it. He’s already won.
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