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Good
Friday Readings:
Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Psalm 22:1-17; Hebrews 4:14-16, 5:7-9; John
18:1-19:42 There
are many moments during Jesus' life, which are memorable. But surely none can be as profound as his last days, which we
commemorate on Good Friday. Here
is both the tragedy and glory of his life.
Here we see glimpses of our own humanity shining forth.
Let us journey together through the final scenes of Christ's
earthly life. Jesus
in the garden First
we go with Jesus and the disciples to the garden of Gethesemane. When pilgrims visited the city for a festival like Passover,
it was not unusual for a group of people to find a place to spend the
night. Jesus and his
followers spent many nights under the olive trees in the garden.
There, just beyond the city wall, was a quiet place apart, a
place of prayer and communion with God and one another.
Judas
knew well where he might find Jesus.
It was no secret. His
treachery was so simple. Although
he brought an armed detachment of soldiers along with him, Jesus offered
no resistance. He could
have used violence to protect himself.
Peter's rash action is the proof of that.
But he chose what is life giving even in that ultimate moment of
distress. He chose to break the cycle of violence.
He refused to enter into the violence of the world.
If
that is the foolishness of the cross, Lord, then give me the strength to
face it. Let me experience
the cup of blessing. For I
am called to drink from the cup in willing obedience to your will
whatever it brings. I may be called to stand up for what is right against all
odds. I may be called to
love the most unlovable of your creation.
I may be called to risk everything for the gospel.
Whatever it means, I pray that I may be worthy of my calling.
Hymn
194: Stay With Us Peter's
Denial Peter's
struggle is that of a person for whom there is no perfect answer.
"Is it better for me," he must have reasoned, "to
lie and remain free so that I can continue the struggle?
Or should I risk everything to follow Christ to the cross?"
We
see it throughout history. It
is the dilemma of the Jesuit priests in the movie, The Mission. One of the Jesuits chose to face whatever happened without
retaliation. He died, cut
down by enemies of the church. The
other chose to fight back. He
died too. Who was right? I
see people struggling to keep their faith in the midst of crippling
sorrow and senseless loss. Peter
is practical if nothing else. His
world is simple. You have
to do this or that, you have to act, you have to establish standards,
set things right, even things out.
So he tells himself. And
even though he wants to be there at Jesus' hour of need, yet he
convinces himself that the risk is not worth it.
Peter
represents the discipleship of his own day, but he represents also the
discipleship in Mississauga, or Toronto, or wherever else there is a
Christian community. We can
persuade ourselves that our loyalty to Jesus has no limits.
We confess our faith in the creed.
We proclaim our loyalty as we sing our favourite hymns.
But do we proclaim who we are to the world? Do we tell people how much we love Jesus?
Do we worry about being ridiculed?
Do we worry about being labelled fanatics?
Or do we simply say: "I am a follower of Christ,"
whatever the risk? Hymn
431: Take up Your Cross Jesus
is condemned to death. Pilate's
struggle is not so much an inner struggle, as a struggle with the
complex and unbending rules of his society.
He knows the law. He
is responsible, wise, has all the right arguments, but a frozen heart.
He prefers to hand over one he knows to be innocent than to take
on the mob. It is so much
easier too if you do not believe that there is such a thing as truth. If you believe nothing, you can do anything.
You don't need character or conviction or reflection.
It becomes just a part of the power game.
There
is something too about the way Jesus faces Pilate at the time of his
judgement. His quiet
demeanour in the face of death could be taken for weakness on his part.
But look back on his years of ministry.
This is not a weak man simply caving in to authority.
Remember Jesus in the temple?
That was not Jesus meek and mild.
He answered the charges of the Pharisees as they tried to trap
him with his own words. He
was a friend to outcasts and sinners, never worrying about what society
might say or think. But here in the courtroom he stands silent before his
accusers, silent for he knows that the way of the cross is the way to
glory. Hymn
202:
There is a Green Hill Far Away At
the Foot of the Cross A
group of the faithful gather at the foot of the cross, the holy women,
the beloved disciple. It is
a time of faith for them. They
see beyond the fact of Christ's death.
If we see only the external appearance of Golgotha, the world
will go on as it is, and we will become discouraged and follow the way
of the world. But if we see
the meaning of the cross we will see that it creates a place of love and
glory. We will know that
serving people is more important than having power or control over them.
We will know that love cannot die.
We will know life. For
the cross is the beginning of life if we accept it.
Hymn
192: Were you there? Jesus
is crucified The
crucifixion as John expresses it, is not a scene of horror. For Christ on the cross has conquered death and fear.
Out of the darkness shines the glory of God.
Out of the depths of our despair, we meet our Saviour.
The world loved darkness better than light.
But from the cross the light shines against the darkness of the
sky turned black. And
there are the sounds. Bursting
fetters, breaking chains, crumbling prison walls, rending veils,
overthrowing barriers, opening gates.
What Christ has come to do has been accomplished.
Our relationship with God is restored.
We know God, as we have never been able to know before.
Hymn
198: O Sacred Head Surrounded
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