MY daily reflection and prayer:
Good Friday, March 25, 2016
Easter Triduum
Dear my friends,
Here is the Gospel for us today according to St John 19:17-30 (or alternative for fuller passage see John 18:1-19:42)
“So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross; it read, ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews’. Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. The chief priests of the Jews then said to Pilate, ‘Do not write, The King of the Jews’, but, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews’. Pilate answered, ‘What I have written I have written’.
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus they took his garments and made four parts, one for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was without seam, woven from top to bottom; so they said to one another, ‘Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be’. this was to fulfill the scripture. “They parted my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots”. So the soldiers did this.
But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, 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 to his own home. After this Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the scripture), ‘I thirst’. A bowl full of vinegar stood there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, ‘It is finished’; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit”
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
***
TODAY is Good Friday. We thank Jesus Christ, for his humble, generous gift of himself amidst such terrible suffering. We wish to accompany him closely today in his Passion. We wish to know him and to follow him more closely all the days of our lives.
Today is the day when Jesus Christ conquered sin by his death on the cross. On the cross he showed his mercy to be indestructible. The more the offenses thrown against him, the greater the forgiveness that came from his Sacred Heart.
In the garden of Gethsemane, before the cohort of soldiers sent to apprehend him Jesus Christ says, “I am”. These are the courageous words of Jesus Christ which God used to describe himself to Moses on Mt. Sinai.
These are the words in which Jesus Christ shows and proclaims his mercy to Peter who denies him saying, “I am not.” These words of Peter stand in stark contrast to the words proclaiming Christ’s mercy.
These words “I am not” represent all that is weak and fragile in man, expressed through the mouth of St. Peter. He denies being a follower of Christ. In doing so, he confirms his own weakness and his need for Christ’s mercy.
In the Perpetual Adoration of the Eucharist while worshipping Jesus Christ, we identify with Peter and recognize our need for Christ’s mercy. We ask his mercy to avoid the pitfalls in ou lives and to be a more faithful follower of Jesus Christ.
Let’s pray: Lord Jesus Christ, you are dying for all people in order to save us from our sins. Help us to realize your love and mercy. May we work steadily to build a new nature within ourselves so that in moments of temptation our heart turns first to you, Our Lord and Savior, now and forever. Amen.
Kredit foto: Ilustrasi (Ist)
