Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12 / Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 / John 18:1 – 19:42
On this day, which is Good Friday, we meditate and reflect about the three harsh realities of life, which is:
– the crosses in life that is to be carried,
– the sufferings of life that is to be endured,
– and finally, the end of life that is to be accepted.
Jesus went through all these three harsh realities in the final hours of His life on Earth. But these three realities are also a part of our life on Earth.
As disciples of Jesus, we must carry the crosses of life and make sacrifices for the good of others. And the cross is painful and heavy and causes us to suffer.
But later as we come forward to venerate the cross, we are saying “yes” to Jesus that we will accept the cross. With Jesus, we will accept to carry the cross and follow Him.
There is pain and suffering, but pain and suffering are not permanent, and they do not last forever. Also, our pain and suffering in this world cannot be compared to the reward of glory in eternity. So, when we come up later to venerate the Cross, we acknowledge that it is the Cross of suffering and pain. But because of Jesus, we believe that the cross will also lead us to life and salvation.
The power of the Cross is the power of sacrificial love. Jesus accepted and embraced the cross as a complete act of love for His Father and for us. We embrace the cross today and humbly ask the Lord to let his power, the power of the cross, flow through us for others. The cross of Christ is the safeguard of our faith, the assurance of our hope and the throne of love. It is also the sign of God’s mercy and the proof of forgiveness. So, we will accept the Cross, and we will carry it and follow Jesus.
Fr. Alex Osei
SSC-USA Spiritual Director