Jesus was rejected and executed, but instead of responding with hatred, instead of “an eye for an eye,” Jesus suffered alone, in our place, for our sake. His new commandment – “love others as you love yourself” – bears no resemblance to hate.

Jesus carried a cross in our place, to make us free. Let us seek the joy of others rather than our own. Let us enter into the suffering of our Saviour, so that we can also enter into the suffering of our brothers and sisters.

In Graham Greene’s novel, The End of the Affair, Maurice confuses love and hate, but his married lover Sarah, who breaks off the relationship with him, sees the truth. Her final prayer is ours as well:

"I wish I knew a prayer that wasn’t me, me, me. Help me. Let me be happier … Me, me, me. Let me think of the agony of those who are dying. Let me see my husband's face with the tears falling. Let me forget me.

Dear God, I’ve tried to love and I’ve made such a hash of it. If I could love you, I’d know how to love them. I believe the legend. I believe you were born. I believe you died for us. I believe you are God.

Teach me to love. I don’t mind my pain. It’s their pain I can’t stand. Let my pain go on and on, but stop theirs. Dear God, if only you could come down from your Cross for a while and let me get up there instead. If I could suffer like you, I could heal like you.

Amen."