First Reading: Isaiah (52:13-53:12)
Responsorial Psalm: (Psalm 31)
Response: Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.
Second Reading: (Hebrews 4:14–16; 5:7–9)
Gospel: (John 18:1-19:42)
Reflection: Jesus is dead. Look at the cross on which He hangs.
Good Friday is a tale of love, not just any love, but true love.
Look at Him: bruised, battered, mocked, and broken. Blood flows from His body. The innocent one accepts guilt to save the guilty. He who had no sin allows Himself to be called a sinner, to save sinners.
He becomes the ransom.
He pays the price.
He dies the death that was ours.
If you want to understand love, do not look to words, look at the Cross.
There hangs Jesus Christ, giving His life so that we might live. Accepting punishment that was ours. This is love in its purest form.
The world falls silent. Darkness covers the land. And still, He loves.
Pause again… and look at the Cross.
What do you see?
It should have been you.
It should have been me.
But He takes our place.
On Holy Thursday, He said:
"This is my body, given up for you."
Now on Good Friday, that body is broken on the Cross.
The question is:
Can we love Him in return?
Can we give ourselves fully, without reserve?
This is why it is called Good Friday.
Not because suffering is good, but because love made it good.
Even in His agony, Jesus forgives:
"Father, forgive them; they know not what they do."
He forgives those who crucified Him.
He forgives those who abandoned Him.
He even loves Judas Iscariot to the very end.
He knows our weakness, our sin, our brokenness, yet He does not abandon us.
He stoops down to wash feet.
He lowers Himself to touch our filth.
And today, He dies for us.
Dear people of God, let this not be just a story.
Let it transform you.
One day, we too shall die.
Life is fleeting. Titles, pride, possessions, they mean nothing in the face of death. Even Christ died, who then are we?
So learn to forgive.
Let go.
Be good.
Live rightly, now.
Each time we choose sin, we nail Him to the Cross again.
Each time we reject love, we wound Him again.
What use is His death for us if we continue to crucify Him by our lives?
And yet, He still offers mercy.
Amen.
God bless you.
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