Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Good Friday 2016

Good Friday 2016
2016 March 24
[ Isaiah 52:13-53:12 ● Psalm 31  ●  Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 ● John 18:1-19:42   ●  ]

[__01__]  “He shall win.”

In the final verse of our first reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, we read that  “he shall WIN … he shall WIN pardon – or forgiveness – for their offenses. ”  (Isaiah 53:12)
          Jesus wins. Jesus wins pardon for our sins, our offenses.

[__02__]     However, this victory is not simply a full-court press, and certainly not a slam-dunk or lay-up.  This is a victory that started in secret, in Christ’s prayer, in his heart.

          Jesus prays for a victory.

          His prayer for victory – for success – teaches us, reminds us how we are also called to pray and open ourselves to God’s word and God’s will.

          “Father if you are willing, take this cup from me, but not my will but thine be done.” (Luke 22:42)

[__03__]      You and I also pray – do we not – for VICTORY, for SUCCESS, for PROSPERITY.  This is good. And, I think we can and do also pray for VICTORY in the lives of our family members, children, parents.

We pray, for example, that our children will have courage, fortitude, perseverance.

We pray that our family members – especially those who may be sick or suffering – may not be DEFEATED by their illness or crisis.
          We pray for our prosperity.
          We pray for victory. And, we can unite this prayer to Christ by praying that … THY WILL BE DONE .. ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN, not my will but thine be done.

This victory does not come easily or without difficulty – Isaiah offered a prophecy called the Suffering Servant – or the canticles of the Suffering Servant – telling us that Jesus gave his life as an offering for our sins. By losing his life, he helps us to win new 

[__04__]    Jesus prays for victory over sinfulness, over fear, over death.
          Father Ronald Knox[1], a priest in mid-20th century England wrote that our Savior prayed for the triumph, the victory of TRUTH over FALSEHOOD, the triumph of HONESTY over DISHONESTY.
          It’s not an easy victory but part of our faith to pray for the triumph of the truth and the conversion of heart – for ourselves and others.[2]
          Isn’t it true that a victory is harder because Jesus allows his opponents, his adversaries already knew about him?  He had revealed himself to them.
Jesus did not hide his strategy from his accusers…but reminded the authorities who had arrested him, “I have spoken publicly to the world. I have always taught in a synagogue … and in secret I have said nothing. Ask those who heard me what I said.” (John ch. 18)

He would not resist arrest. The truth would not be hidden or defeated.

This is a lesson to us as well, to recall that in our crises – in our days of the heavy cross – that we are called always to seek the truth, to live the truth. This is our victory.

It is a victory to confess our sins, to admit our faults, to know God’s forgiveness  in the sacrament of penance …to know that we are SAVED.  His save is our victory.

[__05__]   Is it risky to reveal oneself, tell the truth? We could lose out.
Even Jesus had opportunities to hide, to escape.

In our Lord’s case, we read that when the authorities arrest him, they ask “are you Jesus the Nazorean?” Instead of simply nodding or asking for an attorney, Jesus responds “I AM.” This gets him into more trouble because the phrase “I AM” was the same identifying name which Modes had heard when the Lord spoke to him in the desert in the Exodus. Now Jesus is saying “I AM”. In other words, Yes, I am a divine person, the Son of God … though I have the right to remain silent.

Father Knox points out that in this and other cases, Jesus is showing some willingness to resist. He is not resisting arrest or escaping the trial. But, he is RESISTING the world’s definitions ..and he resists by speaking the truth.
Father Knox goes on to say that Jesus could have avoided this indictment with a few statements to his judge, Pontius Pilate.[3]  That is, could he not have this said to Pilate?

___ “you know what you are right …I really am not a king.  There is no kingdom here, no evidence of wealth, a palace, an army, a militia, no land. The Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

In a sense, Jesus – the suspect is both surrendering and resisting. He will not allow others to define him.
          Had Jesus denied his identity as a King, Pilate would have set him free .

          But, as we know, Jesus spoke the truth. He died willingly for us. He wanted a victory, not for himself over Pontius Pilate but a victory for you and me over sinfulness

[__06__]   Don’t we also pray for victory, for success, for prosperity?   

[__07__]  We pray for victory, a victory through a personal relationship with Christ.

We pray that we may join our sufferings to Christ … which today we do symbolically by coming forward to kiss, embrace, and venerate the cross.

The cross is our victory – not simply the sign of the cross after a scored goal…
But the sign of the cross that reminds that when we rely on God’s grace and Christ’s sacrifice, we are celebrating a victory, the one which he has begun for us.    [__fin__]



[1] Ronald Knox. Pastoral & Occasional Sermons. Bk. VIII., “The Agony of Our Lord,” pp. 431-437
[2] Ronald Knox. “The Agony of Our Lord,” p. 437.
[3][3] Ronald Knox. “The Agony of Our Lord.” p. 432.
[4] Mother Teresa, Come Be My Light, pp. 147-148.

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