Mark’s account is part of the mystery of God’s plan. The best way to understand Jesus’ passion is by considering the words of Peter on the Feast of Pentecost: ‘this Jesus [was] delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God‘ (Acts 2:23). Of course, this does not mean that Jesus was handed over by passive players in a scenario written by God. To God, all moments of time are present but, in the mystery of his plan, everybody has free will to make a free response to his grace. Pontius Pilate, Herod, the Gentiles, the Jewish people and the Pharisees were blinded by unbelief and ignorance, and God permitted the acts that flowed from their blindness.
Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures. Jesus’ passion and cross are the fulfillment of Isaiah’s Suffering Servant prophecies. He is the Lamb who was silent before his shearers; he did not resist but was crushed for our iniquities, pierced for our transgressions and the punishment that brought us peace was on him. The cross is love to the very end. Jesus knew and loved us all when he offered his life.
No human being, not Mary our Mother, not St Peter or St Francis of Assisi or St Ignatius of Loyola, could take on himself or herself the sin of every human being who has ever lived or who will ever live. Only Jesus of Nazareth could become for us the source of eternal salvation, and his most holy passion on the wood of the cross merited justification for us.