GOOD FRIDAY Yr B. March 29, 2024.
Readings
1st: Isaiah 52:13-54:12
2nd: Hebrewa 4:14-16; 5:7-9
Gospel: John 18:1-19:42
Theme: Where Do I Fall Under, Where Do I Find Myself - Part II
My dear people of God, today is GOOD FRIDAY, and rightly so. John takes over the narratives from Mark whose version on Palm Sunday brought us to the predicted triple denial of Jesus in the open by Peter. Sadly, the very lips that tasted the Eucharistic Banquet in less than 24 hrs were the same lips swearing oaths in public. Psychologically bruised and inwardly broken by a nasty failure and fall, Peter went out and wept. Note, that both Judas and Peter realised their respective abuse of love and betrayal of trust but whereas Judas showed only remorse, Peter added repentance. Remorse alone can never be enough to merit Divine Mercy, inner repentance would do. It is renewing to note that Peter denied Jesus in public but grace and mercy met him in private. The magnitude of my repeated failures (sins) can never be a barrier to God's grace breaking into my life and bearing phenomenal fruits. In the "present sinner Peter", Jesus sees a "future Saint Peter". That points out the sharp difference between eyes that look (at we are) and eyes that see (what we can become) if given a second opportunity for a new beginning. In fact, no man has ever been so unjustly treated as Peter. Often the stress and focus are on his faults, failures and shame to the utter neglect of his good intentions and the heroic character in him. We must remember that it is only Peter who drew a sword (cutlass) against a whole cohort that was fully armed with very sophisticated weapons. What is more courageous than such a heroic act? Was it not an outward public expression of his earlier pledge to die with the Master? Again, we cannot, and should not all too soon forget that after Jesus willingly succumbed to the arrest all the disciples sensed danger and fled at a moment the Master needed their mere presence most. Peter alone followed, even if from a distance, up to the High Priest's house. We cannot underestimate the soothing effect and the moral courage his distant presence gave Jesus in that hour of public humiliation and physical torture. Jesus is led to Pilate by the chief priests and elders with massive support from the ordinary masses. We pray for those opinion leaders in our communities whose only role is formenting, perpetrating and promoting violence in any form and kind. May the Holy Spirit continue to enlighten and empower the ordinary masses with the ability to discern and resist any negative counsel/advice or directtive from such wicked and heartless elders, majority of whom occupy very key positions in churches and mosques, pretending to know and love God.
Jesus is fslsely accused, openly condemned and publicly mocked and ridiculed in favor of a hardened and notorious criminal - Barabbas - a recent aborted coup leader. The system is not different at our own time especially among our politicians who falsely believe they can buy the dignity of their own people and steal glaring justice from the poor and voiceless - both by the power of money. Innocent people are condemned and jailed, some killed, known and/or unknown, while hardened criminals of heinous crimes walk around with impunity under heavy security protection. May God sanitise our judiciary system of the growing rot and filth that bedevil and mar the process of justice delivery in recent times. We pray for all our judges (and traditional rulers) that their claim to fear God should not end at lips service. May God speedily heal those with sick and numb conscience.
The cancer of hatred: Once I allow myself to hate, I can no longer think or see straight. Hatred is one of the most terrible "psychological cancers" that can take man's sense away with relative ease and reduce the victim to a non-reasoning animal. The Jews' refusal to enter Pilate's palace is an act of carrying out the details of the ceremonial law with meticulous care yet their ultimate aim is to kill and elminate an innocent one. That is the worst hypocrisy ever recorded in history. A shocking thing in the face of rising hostility is that, "We have no king but Caeser". This contradicts I Sam 12:12 which categorically says God alone is your King. So, for the Jewish leaders to publicly declare that they have no king but Caeser reveals the most hypocritical nature of man. This serves as an alert that some hypocrites can also pose as religious leaders. Fortunately, salt and sugar may look alike (in color) but the tongue (God) knows their difference (in taste).
Worst enemies become best friends. Luke's narrative aludes to the first instance of an instant reconciliation between Pilate and Herod because of Jesus. In the presence of a common enemy, worst enemies become best friends. Hypocrites.
False judgement: Pilate repeatedly said he saw no fault with the accused yet to please the people, had Jesus scourged/flogged and handed over to the soldiers who, to amuse themselves with their crude horse-play, made a caricature of Jesus as a King while, when in fact, he is truly the only king at the moment. Beneath that jest/mockery, therefore, is an eternal truth.
The Way of the Cross begins. From now on the total weight of sin is laid on Jesus. Every single step brings him closer to the cruelty that awaits him on Calvary. This is all the reward he now deserves and gets in return for all the good he has done for three years. Sadly, this is how good people are still treated in society today by people who feel threatened and uneasy by their presence. May God create and increase in us a sense of gratitude.
Jesus dies on the Cross. No picture so shows the indifference of the world to Jesus. There on the Cross Jesus is bleeding and dying in agony; and there at the very foot of the same Cross the (paid) soldiers throw their dice to get a fortune. This is how guiltless and shameless majority of our security personnel sometimes behave in the eyes of the very people they are heavily paid to protect. Such type of personnel are more in need of security themselves. None of them is even sparing a look at Jesus. Nothing matters to anyone, including all those passing by, except the soothing presence and compassionate looks of Mary, her cousins and John the beloved.
Calvary, the heart beat of God for humanity. Here on Calvary God does what he did not allow Abram to do at the dawn of human history - the offer of his only son. We pray for all the dying and dead that they may experience Divine Mercy. We shall link up the Calvary event with the Empty Tomb story at Easter. Divine Mercy Novena begins today. "Save us, Savior of the World, for by your Holy Cross, you have saved the whole world". Continue to recite the Holy Rosary daily. May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. God richly bless you and your family.
Rev. Fr. Thomas L. Debuo, Catholic Diocese of Damongo, Ghana. (0244511306/0243711926)