Good Friday

Isaiah 52:12;53:13
Hebrew 4:14-16;5:7-9
John 18:19-42

FATHER INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT

(THANK GOD, IT IS GOOD FRIDAY) TGIGF

Today is Good Friday. The entire universe stands still as it watches its creature dying on the cross, yet preparing for its rebirth. At the beginning of today’s liturgy, the celebrant lay prostrate, in silence, before the altar. The altar itself has been stripped and the sanctuary lay bare. A silent prostration. The Bride of Christ-The Church grief and mourns in silence as she contemplates the sacrifice of Christ; a sacrifice so great.

In silent awe the crowds were grief-stricken at the foot of the Cross. For three hours the sun is darkened. The natural lights of the heavens are extinguished, as the Light of the World hangs upon the tree, and dies thereon. All words at first seem empty and meaningless. God in the flesh has been tortured , crucified, mocked, taunted and now has now has died. Christ has died and It seems as if evil has done its worst.

In the first reading, we heard  Isaiah’s prophecy about the Man of Sorrows.  Isaiah says that the crowds who behold this strange figure are appalled to see Him so disfigured. They are astonished at Him. Kings stand speechless before Him.  A man to make people turn away their faces, in horror and disbelief. This almost incredulous astonishment in the face of such suffering is well expressed in the spare and austere ceremonies of the Church’s worship today in our silence.

But this is just the beginning of the new life in life; the rebirth of creation. When Jesus says on the cross, I thirst…It is finished. Christ gives a new dimension to the idea of suffering, that is, every suffering becomes redemptive so as long as we identify it and immerse it in the sufferings of Christ we become victorious.

There is so much suffering and pain in the world today and all these sufferings can be immersed in Christ through thanksgiving to God for giving us his only begotten Son as a perfect example of Holiness and Obedience to God our Father and we too need to totally surrender to God and live in true obedience to Him constantly every day.

In John 19:25-27, just before our Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross, He says to His mother. Woman behold thy Son…Son thy Mother. Jesus’ mother is a fantastic woman. She has tremendous courage. There was nothing in Mary that has no reference to Jesus. She has been a very strong woman from the beginning. By her Yes we are blessed. I am the Handmaid of the Lord let it be done to me according to your word. She is a very practical woman Her steps points to Jesus always.. We see her intercessory role in the miracle at the wedding at Cana. Mary stood by her Son even when they found Him in the temple,.

On Via Crucis (The Way of the Cross), she sees the mockery, the torture and the beatings , she sees the wounds caused by the ugly weapons of pains and the only thing she does is to intimate herself through acceptance of God’s plan even when everything she had seem to be crashing down and the only thing she had is just this only son.

Whenever we behold the cross of Jesus and we see Him, He tells us “Behold your Mother’. It means that she becomes a test to those who are Catholics or not? When you reject Mary you reject Jesus for Mary is the great companion of Jesus Christ- the heart of the Mother , the heart of the Son. Our Lady gave us the Rosary which is the Mysteries of Christ her Son as a a great tradition.

God the Father burdens Jesus with the sins of all of mankind. Christ, the suffering servant gave His life as an expiation for sin. Let us not let the grace of Good Friday go away in vain..Do not be afraid of Jesus. No one love you like Jesus. No one loves you as He does. No one can lay His life for you like Jesus. He did it once and for all. It is finished!

Today, therefore, is a very good day for making a promise to Our Lord. The debt of love we owe Him is unpayable in any real terms. His death on the Cross leaves us all as His insolvent debtors. We can never thank Him sufficiently. We can never pay Him back. What we can do however is do our utmost to show Him that His Passion and death are bearing the fruits of repentance, and the amendment of our lives.Let us show Him and the world, that His Passion was not in vain.  Come to the Cross.  Amend your lives.   Console your God.

We adore you O Christ and we praise you because, by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.

THANK GOD IT IS GOOD FRIDAY

Fr Joseph Osho