GOOD FRIDAY
SAIAH 52:13–53:12; PSALM 31; HEBREWS 4:14–16, 5:7-9; JOHN 18:1–19:42
In today’s reflection, we shall be concerned with some basic questions and lessons.
What is Good Friday? Good Friday is the day we commemorate Jesus Christ’s Passion, crucifixion, and death. It is a mandatory day of fasting and abstinence. This is the day of the crucifixion, the day Jesus died for the sins of the world. Customarily, all Catholics are encouraged to participate in the stations of the cross today. The Good Friday celebration is not a mass; it is the service of the Lord’s passion. Good Friday is the only day of the year on which no masses are offered. This service begins at 3 p.m., the hour that Jesus breathed his last on the cross. There are two more questions here:
WHY IS IT CALLED GOOD FRIDAY? What is good about Good Friday? Some say Good Friday is “good” in that it is holy, or that the phrase is a corruption of “God’s Friday.” Thus, the church meant to say God’s Friday, not Good Friday. On the contrary, it is called Good Friday because it led to the Resurrection of Jesus, his victory over death and sin, and the celebration of Easter, the very summit of Christian celebrations. The suffering and death of Jesus, as awful as they were, were the dramatic conclusion of God’s plan to deliver his people from their sin; therefore, Good is totally appropriate for the Friday.
God permits evil in order to draw forth some greater good. In the Exsultet, the cantor sings, ‘O happy fault,. . . which gained for us so great a redeemer!’ It is a fault, but a happy one. The event was bad, as in Bad Friday, but it brought about something good, so much so that it wiped away the tears of his death. And so, the Bible asked, “O death, where is thy victory?” (1Cor.15:55). Christ’s death was the death of death. Christ was victorious over death. And so, the Friday before his resurrection was a good Friday. Genesis 50:20 says, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.”. Romans 8:28 says, “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.”
WHY IS THERE NO MASS TODAY? Today is the only day mass is not celebrated in the Catholic Church, as the Church mourns the death of our Savior through fasting and prayer. Instead of the mass, the church celebrates the Lord’s passion. This celebration begins with a silent procession to the sanctuary and ends with a silent movement to the sacristy. The silence reminds us of the importance of the day, the painful death, and the humiliation and suffering of Jesus Christ. No Mass, as we re-live the emotions of this great loss. (Na who dey alive, dey say mass).
HOW DO WE RELIVE THESE EMOTIONS? This question brings us to the three parts of today’s liturgy. We relive this loss in the following ways:
1. The Liturgy of the Word (Passion Narrative and Prayers of Intercession)
2. The Veneration of the Cross
3. The service of Holy Communion.
The Liturgy of the Word: This consists of the clergy and assisting ministers entering in complete silence, without any singing. They then silently make a full prostration. This signifies the abasement (the fall) of earthly humans. It also symbolizes the grief and sorrow of the church. Then follows the Collect prayer, the reading or chanting of Isaiah 52:13–53:12, Hebrews 4:14–16, Hebrews 5:7–9, and the Passion account from the Gospel of John, usually read by the celebrant and two other readers; thereafter, the Great Intercessions, also known as orationes solemnes, it consists of a series of prayers for the Church, the Pope, the clergy and laity of the Church, those preparing for baptism, the unity of Christians, the Jews, those who do not believe in Christ, those who do not believe in God, those in public office, and those in special need. After each prayer intention, the priest or deacon calls the faithful to kneel for a short period of private prayer; the celebrant then sums up the prayer intention with a collect-style prayer.
The Adoration of the Cross (a crucifix), not necessarily the one that is normally on or near the altar at other times of the year, is solemnly unveiled and displayed to the congregation, and then venerated by them, individually if possible and usually by kissing the wood of the cross, while hymns and the Improperia (“Reproaches”) with the Trisagion hymn are chanted.
The service of Holy Communion: Holy Communion is administered according to the final rite of the final part of Mass, beginning with the Lord’s Prayer but omitting the ceremony of “Breaking of the Bread” and its related acclamation, the Agnus Dei. The Eucharist, consecrated at the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, is distributed at this service. The priest and people then depart in silence, and the altar cloth is removed, leaving the altar bare except for the crucifix and two or four candlesticks.
Application
We are not to gather for this celebration as spectators but as active participants. They are not mere routines; they carry so much spiritual relevance and grace. And so, we are called to relive the emotions of Christ’s passion and death in order to better understand and appreciate our salvation history.
What other lessons can we learn from this day?
Trust in the Lord: Isaiah in our first reading speaks of the suffering servant, who suffered and died for our sake. This suffering servant is Jesus Christ. In Isaiah 53:4-5, the servant suffers because of “our” iniquities and “our” sickness, but by His wounds we were healed. Thus, God vindicated him and gave him a name above every name. So that at the mention of that name, every knee must bow (Phil. 2:9). God vindicated him because, though he was God, he did not count equality with God as something to be grasped. Again, he trusted in the Lord amidst suffering and pain. How many of us can still trust in the midst of pain and suffering? (Hymn “How can I repay the Lord for his goodness to me?”) Like the Psalmist of today, let us learn to say, “In you, O Lord, I take refuge.Let me never be put to shame. In your justice, set me free; into your hands, I commend my spirit.” Beloved, do not be discouraged because of the trials you are going through. Commit your dealings to the Lord, and He shall save you.
Know Your Purpose in Life: The passion narrative we just read was taken from St. John’s gospel; it is different from the narrative we read on Palm Sunday because it focuses more on the kingship of Jesus. This kingship has been an argument all along. When he was born, Herod wanted to kill him because he heard a king had been born (Matt. 2:16). Yet as an adult, he kept on telling them in John 18:36, (paraphrased) “Calm down; calm down, my kingship is not of this world.” Yet they wouldn’t listen. It was for that same reason that he was killed (Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews). Be careful with the kingship and titles of this world. The reason they attack you at birth is destiny; they will still come after you even when you have grown. Do not be afraid; fulfill your destiny. Jesus said to him, “For this I was born.” (John 18:37). Herod and Pilate are no longer on the throne, but Jesus is still on the throne.
“It is finished!“ (John 19:30) Tetelestai is in the perfect tense in Greek. The perfect tense speaks of an action that has been completed in the past, with results continuing into the present. It’s different from the simple tenses, which consist of the present, the past, and the future. The perfect tenses are the present perfect, the past perfect, and the future perfect. When Jesus cried out, “It is finished,” he meant it was finished in the past, it is still finished in the present, and it will remain finished in the future. That is why the sacrifice of the Mass we offer is not a repetition but a reenactment. If you need water, you can dig a bore hole. When you want to drink water, just fetch it from the bore hole; you don’t have to dig a new one every time you want to drink water. Heb 10:12 says Christ, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God. So, the Mass is one and the same sacrifice as that of Jesus on the cross. (Ps. 119:89 forever O Lord …”)
Again, “it is finished.” Jesus did not say, “I am finished,” for that would imply that he died defeated and exhausted. Rather, he cried out, “It is finished,” meaning “I successfully completed the work I came to do.” By his power, you too will complete your task here on earth; as for that sickness and sorrow, it is finished; do not say, “I am finished.”
The Mockery: Matt. 27:42, “He saved others; He cannot save himself.” The cross is a symbol of mockery, a symbol of violence and peace, lies and truth, hatred and love. You may be in a situation where your ideas and gifts work for others but do not work for you. Do not be discouraged, and do not worry when they mock you; he who laughs last, laughs best. Micah 7:8 says, Rejoice not over me, oh my enemy, for if I fall, I shall arise, and when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be my light. Three days later, Jesus rose. Again, the soldiers who mocked and spat on Christ had no idea who He really was. Respect people, especially if you don’t know who they are.
The Great Betrayal: Amongst all ‘betrayals’ in scriptures this is the most famous betrayal. Judas had betrayed Jesus yet was sitting on the same dining table with him. Your worst enemy is always closer than you’ve ever imagined. Matt 10:36:your worst enemies are the members of your own family. Judas accepted thirty silver pieces to hand Jesus over to the Jewish authorities. Betrayal is the violation of a person’s trust or confidence. It comes from those you relate to.
David was no stranger to betrayal: “If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God” (Psalm 55:12–14). Even my own familiar friend, in whom I put my confidence and who consumed my bread, has turned on me. (Psalm 41:9; John 13:18). The closer the relationship, the greater the pain of betrayal.
Ahithophel Betraying David: Ahithophel, a trusted advisor of King David, betrayed him by siding with David’s rebellious son, Absalom, during a coup attempt. Ahithophel’s counsel proved influential, leading to David’s flight from Jerusalem and Absalom’s brief usurpation of the throne. However, when Absalom rejected Ahithophel’s advice in favor of Hushai’s counsel, Ahithophel became despondent and ultimately took his own life (2 Samuel 15:12; 16:20-17:23). Now David had been told, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “LORD, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.” (2Sam.15:31).
Delilah Betraying Samson: Delilah, a woman from the valley of Sorek, betrayed Samson, a judge of Israel, by discovering the secret of his strength and revealing it to his enemies, the Philistines. She persuaded Samson to reveal the source of his strength, his uncut hair, which ultimately led to his capture, blindness, and death (Judges 16:4-21).
Joseph’s Brothers Betraying Him: In the book of Genesis, Joseph’s brothers betrayed him out of jealousy and resentment. They sold him into slavery and deceived their father, Jacob, into believing that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. Joseph eventually rose to power in Egypt, where he forgave his brothers and saved them from famine (Genesis 37:12-36; 50:15-21).
We betray friends because of excessive ambition, envy, greed, or hatred. There are those who still accept money only to offer their friends or relatives to bandits or kidnappers. Are there no husbands who betray their partner? Or wives who betray their husbands? Betrayal exist as infidelity, even by kissing some else. Professional betrayal (E.g Doctors, Lawyers, politicians), societal or cultural betrayal, spiritual betrayal (compromised vows even as priests), Emotional betrayal and Financial betrayal.
The Great Denial: Peter, one of Christ’s closest disciples, denied him three times! (Until hard times come, you may not know your close friends.) Some of us have been denied certain benefits courtesy of our friends; some have been relegated because a friend represented us falsely.Don’t we even deny Jesus today? When we seek other gods, what are we saying to onlookers?
Adam and Eve’s Denial in the Garden of Eden: After eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve attempted to hide from God and deny their disobedience when confronted. Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent, rather than taking responsibility for their actions (Genesis 3:8-13).
Israel’s Denial of God’s Prophets: In the Old Testament, the people of Israel often denied and rejected the prophets sent by God to call them to repentance and obedience. Instead of heeding their warnings, many Israelites persecuted and even killed the prophets, refusing to acknowledge the truth of their messages (2 Chronicles 36:15-16; Jeremiah 7:25-26; Matthew 23:29-36).
The Pharisees’ Denial of Jesus’ Authority: Throughout the Gospels, the religious leaders, particularly the Pharisees and scribes, repeatedly denied Jesus’ authority and challenged his teachings. They refused to accept him as the Messiah and sought to discredit and undermine his ministry (Matthew 12:22-32; Mark 3:22-30; Luke 11:14-23; John 8:48-59).
The False Veneration: Still at Jerusalem, the same crowd but different tunes. St. Bernard of Clairvaux, in his homily, says, “How different the cries, ‘Away with him, away with him, crucify him,’ and then, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna, in the highest!’ They called him ‘King of Israel’ and a few days later, ‘We have no king but Caesar!’ They offered their own clothes for him to walk upon; soon afterwards, they stripped him of his garment. What a contrast between the green branches and the cross, between the flowers and the thorns! Beloved, we are like this crowd oftentimes. We say one thing today and do another tomorrow. It goes to show our insincerity and faithlessness.Some of us venerate the cross today, but our minds are absent.
Lastly, this contrast goes to show the ups and downs of life. Do not be carried away by praise; when the going gets tough, keep going, and you will be victorious. The same people he fed, restored, and healed opted for the hardened criminal. In life, people have a short memory. Not everyone will remember the good you did. Be good anyway.
The Wounded Healer: Even on the cross, he was inviting a thief into Paradise. He did the first canonization. Do not take vengeance; don’t mark people’s guilt; don’t hate because you are hated; and in your worst moments, give people hope. And to the man who stabbed him, he opened his eyes. He is the Wounded Healer. Even in your sick bed, you can still let go of hurt and heal families and our world.
Avoid partial judgment: Along with two other thieves, Jesus was crucified. It appeared to be three thieves on a cross. Avoid passing judgment. Victims of circumstance are included among convicts. Not all pregnant single women fornicated; ask Blessed Virgin Mary, how? Not everyone who is dangling from a cross is a criminal!
Endurance: He was crucified on Friday. On Sunday, he rose from the dead. We would have endured a little bit more if we had known that our good days were not that far from the awful ones. Be tolerant and endure. Your Sunday is coming! Luke 21:19 “By your endurance, you will gain your lives.”
God bless you!
Fr. Daniel Evbotokhai
