Good Friday

April 10, 2020

Readings:

First Reading: Isaiah 52: 13 - 53: 12

Psalm 31 “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”

Second Reading: Hebrew 4: 14-16; 5: 7-9

Gospel reading according to John 18: 1 – 19: 42

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Homily: Mary, the mother of Jesus, Standing by the Cross of Jesus

With the crowds, Mary, the mother of Jesus accompanied by Mary Salome wife of Clopas and Mary of Magdala, followed her son until the Calvary.  And when Jesus was already crucified on the cross, Mary came forward with other Marys’.  We cannot described the feelings and emotions, agonies, loneliness and pains of a mother endured whose son she saw was crucified on the Cross and about to die.  Her heart is broken into pieces, her whole being too was crucified with her son.    “. . . Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala” (John 18: 25).  Though we do not see or recognize in the face of Mary the pain and sorrow, but all of this she kept in her heart silently and surrendering everything to God.  She stood strong and firm in front of the Cross of her son.  This also proven the obedience of Mary to the will of God.  She accepted the fate of her son.  There was no regret that she raised her son according to will of God, his Father.

Jesus, on the one hand, cannot totally abandoned his mother alone.  As a widow and now is about losing a son is the worse condition of a mother and or a woman in her community and society.  When he saw his mother in her condition, his merciful and compassionate heart was moved with kindness.  And on the other hand, he cannot assumed that he is losing a best friend and disciple whom he loved.  Both mother and disciple longed to stay their son and loved one.  “When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, ‵Woman, behold your son.′ Then he said to the disciple, ‵Behold your mother.′ And from that hour the disciple took her into his home” (John 18: 26-27).  (Hindi maatim ni Jesus na iiwan na niya ang kanyang nanay at pinaka-mamahal na disipulo.)  Jesus could not bear the thought of leaving his mother and most beloved disciple.  So, Jesus entrusted his mother Mary to his disciple John, and John, the most beloved disciple, was entrusted to his mother Mary. Jesus said, “Woman, behold your son,” and to his disciple, “Behold your mother.”  There is no greater love than this, when you entrusted your loved one to whom you loved and trusted. Now Jesus had nothing to worry about and was ready to leave behind his mother for he knew that she is in good hands. This also proves that Jesus has no brothers or sisters for he will not entrust his mother Mary to John if he has other brothers and sisters.

The time has come.  Jesus still aware that every detail in the scripture must be fulfilled and he has to fulfil it until the end.  “After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‵I thirst.′  There was a vessel filled with common wine.  So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth.  When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, ‵It is finished.′  And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.” (John 18: 28-30).  Jesus said, “I thirst.”  This thirst is not thirst of water, or wine or drink; he thirsts for the love of sinners, their repentance, their amendment of their lives, of the change of their hearts, and returning back to God their Father.  He longed to see that many will change their attitudes towards others, their relation to their neighbors, especially those who are poor, needy, oppressed, marginalized, and excluded in society and in the community.  After tasting the wine and saying “it is finished,” he breathed his last and he died.  He returned to his God and Father.

(Here all kneel and pause for a short time.)

The Sabbath is coming, and they have to prepare the Passover meal, so they hurried the death of those crucified.  To do this, some of the Jews went to Pontius Pilate and asked permission in breaking the legs of those crucified.  They came first to Gestas and broke his legs;  them to Dismas and also broke his legs  “Now since it was preparation day, in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the Sabbath, for the Sabbath day of that week was a solemn one, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken and they be taken down.  So the solders came and broke the legs of the first and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus.  But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out.” (John 18: 31-34). Last, they came to Jesus, but when they found him already dead, theyy did not break his legs, as scripture says, “No bones will be broken.”  But one of the soldier, to see whether he was still alive or already dead thrust his lance at the side and blood and water flowed abundantly.