TODAYS REFLECTION GOOD FRIDAY MAR 25

TODAYS REFLECTION GOOD FRIDAY OF THE LORD'S PASSION ( FASTING AND ABSTINENCE ) MAR 25 (Is 52:13-53:12, Heb 4 :14-16, 5 :7-9, Jn 18: 1-19, 42 )

#SUFFEREDANDDIEDONTHECROSSFORUS#

In today’s liturgy, after our listening to the Suffering-Servant song from the Prophet Isaiah, as well as the hymn of Christ’s obedience even unto death, from Paul’s letter to the Philippian’s, we are presented with John’s account of Jesus’ Passion. In this recalling of the final hours of His life, Jesus is pictured as experiencing his finest hour. This obedience of Jesus is not only his compliance to the Will and love of his Father, but his grateful acceptance of all that was his identity.

By his words and gestures Jesus on the Cross is the total sacramentalization of Who he was and is. For him these hours are not a dream, though we can imagine he may have had day or night dreams about such an event. He literally is stripped of his clothing, but in a strange way, not of his dignity. His throne, his crown, his regal declarations are final and yet eternal. His whole life is consummated in this showing up and not avoiding his name and his message.

In the gospel account, Jesus declares two exclamation words, “I thirst” and “Woman this is your son.” When Jesus utters the word that he thirsts. This  physical desire is the sacrament of his longings for peace and reconciliation between God and creation. And by saying woman this is your son He is changing the shame of this-world’s sin into the honour of being gathered back into God’s family. Finally the Jesus says Father “Into your hands I commend my spirit!” We receive his thirst for us and are encouraged by the reception of his Body to continue his life within ours.

Beloved The Cross of Christ is the safeguard of our faith, the assurance of our hope, and the throne of love. The way to peace, joy, and righteousness in the kingdom of God and the way to victory over sin and corruption, fear and defeat, despair and death is through the cross of Jesus Christ. In the cross of Christ we see the triumph of Jesus over his enemies - sin, Satan, and death. St Paul writes  "But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Gal 6:14). Lord may we always follow you through your cross and be filled with the joys of your resurrection. UNITED IN PRAYERS.