Good Friday is a day of faith, hope, and love. Today’s liturgy allows us to contemplate Jesus, the Paschal Victim, and to deepen our love of Him who willingly laid down his life for love of us. We need this day to help us become more mindful of the fact that we have been redeemed and that good does overcome evil. Our war-torn world needs someone willing to take its pain and suffering upon his shoulders and offer it to the Father as a sacrifice of praise, healing, and reconciliation.
When the Risen Jesus appeared to His disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, He had prepared a meal and afterwards directed His attention to Simon Peter in a very personal way. Three times Jesus questioned him, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” In turn, Peter might have questioned Jesus, “Master do You love me?” but he didn’t.
“Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to deliver the servants who trusted in him; they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God” (Dan. 3:95). What God did for these three young men would serve as a beacon of hope for the Babylonian captives. Nebuchadnezzar’s shock was nothing compared to the encouragement the exiles felt every time they retold the story. Like our Jewish ancestors in the faith, we need to build each other up in faith by telling and retelling the stories of God’s loving-kindness.
There are certain conversations that are very precious, a conversation in which someone reveals something very personal from the past or present. It is an act that speaks of trust, of confidence, of a sharing that draws people closer; such enhances friendship, touches lives deeply.
“I saw water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east” (Ezek. 47:1). Reading about the water flowing from the side of the temple brought to mind the water and blood flowing from the side of the crucified Lord. These waters flow out from Jerusalem and out into the world. Christ is the Temple from whom flow the living waters.
Someone wrote: “If you want to make progress in charity or rather, if you are concerned not to be lacking in it, your endeavor must never be to be lifted up about anything in yourself, but always to marvel at what is in other people.”