In George Orwell’s novel, 1984, Winston Smith rebels against the totalitarian state in which he lives by illegally keeping a diary of his own thoughts, and by embarking on an illicit affair with the beautiful Julia. Caught by the security forces Winston is subjected to months of torture, in an attempt to break his will and his love for Julia. While his mind succumbs to the will of the state his love remains unbroken until he is taken to the dreaded Room 101, where he is confronted with his greatest fear – rats. Faced with the terrifying prospect of being eaten alive he finally cries, “Do it to Julia!” In that moment his love is broken and their relationship at an end.
The night before he died Jesus was alone in the Garden of Gethsemane, wrestling with the prospect of the hideous and humiliating death by crucifixion that he knew awaited him in the morning. He cried out to his Heavenly Father that there might be some other way of expressing divine love to the world. To die for us, or to withdraw his love and allow us to die – that was his agonising choice. When dawn broke the following day Jesus had been tried and condemned and was on his way to the cross – divine love had triumphed. It always does.
