Homily: Good Friday

I didn't preach this afternoon; our pastor did. Anyway, I was too busy acting as Master of Ceremonies to do any preaching. But I thought I'd share a Good Friday homily I delivered a few years ago. I hope it helps you come closer to Our Lord and perhaps leave you with a different appreciation of His Passion and Death.

___________________

“Preach the gospel constantly; if necessary, use words" -- so counseled St. Francis of Assisi. And whenever I listen to the passion story, I find myself thinking of this wonderful saint.

The great cathedral in Milan was filled with people who had come to hear Francis preach.  There were no electric lights in the 13th Century. It was growing dark, because Francis had arrived a little late. He climbed up on the high altar and placed a candle by the feet of Jesus on the Cross, illuminating His wounded feet. Then he placed one by His side, opened for us; then one by His pierced hand, pinned to the Cross; then by the other hand; and finally he placed one by the crown of thorns. Francis then walked out of the church.

What else is there to say? Unfortunately, I’m not saintly like Francis, so I have to use words when I preach.

Sometimes I think we’ve heard the passion story so often it has ceased to impress us. Or perhaps we belittle Christ’s sufferings, believing that because He was the Son of God it was somehow different for Him, that it wasn’t real, like human suffering. It’s important to be clear about this: Jesus’ sufferings were very real and more intense than anything you and I might endure. And they encompassed so much.

The agonizing hours He spent in the garden, all the while ignored by His three closest friends. And later to be abandoned by these and by virtually all whom He loved...even betrayed by one of them. He was arrested, tried and convicted for something He never did; falsely accused and subjected to a steady stream of lies. Insulted, taunted, repeatedly struck and spit on, flogged almost to the point of death. Then the King of Kings was painfully and ignominiously crowned with thorns. Finally came the shame of being condemned and executed like a common criminal. And as He died, He was forced to endure more taunts, insults and mockery.

And through it all, the Father kept His silence. Can we even begin to plumb the depths of Christ’s suffering? Yet all this suffering would have been wasted, it would not have redeemed a single soul, if Jesus had not endured it with love. It was not just Christ’s suffering that redeemed the world. It was His love – the love with which He bore and offered His sufferings to the Father for us.

There’s an awful lot of suffering in our world today. Just read the headlines. Watch the evening news. Or perhaps you need only look at those seated near you. Illness, the death of a loved one, a child who has strayed and turned his back on God, financial problems, family strife, addictions…all these sufferings are very real in our lives and in the lives of those we know. But have we learned to bear our sufferings as Jesus taught us?

Even though surrounded by darkness, the light of His love burned brightly and enlightened others. He prayed for His executioners. He welcomed the good thief to paradise. With one look of compassion he brought tears to the eyes of Peter. He died because He did the will of the Father – freely and out of love. He didn’t simply endure His sufferings. He suffered because of His great love for you.

Suffering that is merely endured does nothing for our souls except harden them. It just turns us inward and floods us with self-pity, the first and normal reaction to suffering. But self-pity is a cancer that erodes our faith, our courage, and our capacity to feel compassion for others…our capacity to love.

Thomas Merton once wrote that, “The Christian must not only accept suffering: he must make it holy. For nothing so easily becomes unholy as suffering.” Now I’m not suggesting that you imitate those who have an almost morbid love of suffering. From my experience, they tend to be dour, humorless people. No. Christ wants us to love. And love can cause the greatest suffering of all – heartbreak. But it also brings the greatest joy. And God wants us to be joyful. That’s why today is Good Friday, and not Bad Friday. It’s good because it’s the ultimate manifestation of God’s overwhelming love for you -- not some generic love, but a very personal, individual love.

And so today, as we approach to venerate the cross of Christ, let’s all listen to Jesus as He prays for His killers: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” And when Easter arrives, let’s not return to our homes and take up where we left off, carrying the burdens of things we can’t forgive.

“Don’t cry for me,” Jesus told the women of Jerusalem, “Cry for yourselves and for your children.” Let us not then weep for Jesus. Rather let us follow the example of Peter, who wept bitter tears for his own sins. Then maybe we’ll be able to forgive those who sin against us.

God’s Peace.