Catechism of the Catholic Church

609 By embracing in his human heart the Father's love for men, Jesus "loved them to the end", for "greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." ⁴²⁵ In suffering and death his humanity became the free and perfect instrument of his divine love which desires the salvation of men. ⁴²⁶ Indeed, out of love for his Father and for men, whom the Father wants to save, Jesus freely accepted his Passion and death: "No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord." ⁴²⁷ Hence the sovereign freedom of God's Son as he went out to his death. ⁴²⁸