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sgfridaytrid04
Good Friday Triduum
Text:
John 19:17-30
Date: Good Friday Triduum II
4/9/04 torrent futurama rus
From
a harmony of the four Gospels we have seven words or statements
from the cross. Matthew and Mark report only the one, “My God, my
God, why have you forsaken me?” Earlier, in our noonday devotion,
we considered the three from Luke's Gospel, “Father, forgive them;
for they know not what they do;” “Truly, I say to you, today you
will be with me in Paradise;” and “Father, into thy hands I commit
my spirit!” Each account has its own character and purpose. St.
Luke's is the most catechetical, proclaiming the faithful Son of
God who came to release all mankind from the grip of the bondage
of sin. The Good Friday portion of the Triduum, however, is reserved,
always, for Saint John. He reports the words from the cross, “Woman,
behold, your son,” “I thirst,” and “It is finished.” In addition
to those words, however, are two more important details: the soldiers
gambling for his tunic, and the piercing of Jesus' side with a spear
and the flow of blood and water. Taken together, St. John's account
of the crucifixion emphasizes the triumph and victory of the Son
of God, the Word made flesh Who came to conquer death and give life
to all who believe. In John the Passion is victorious. Jesus' death
is referred to as his glorification, and by his cross he is lifted
up like the healing serpent in the wilderness. Even his final word
is a cry of victory, “It is finished.” He is not overcome. He has
overcome.
In
John's Gospel we are bidden away from ourselves, that is, to view
the crucifixion not as much from our perspective, flinching at the
tearing of his skin by the whip, the nails and the spear, but to
view the crucifixion from God's perspective. What is in the mind
and heart of God through this bloody, violent scene? It is victory,
the victory of God not in spite of death but by and through a death
transfigured to serve his ultimate purpose of restoring and giving
life. The Cross, from our perspective an instrument of death, becomes,
from God's perspective, the tree of life.
But
it becomes the tree of life only for those who look upon it in faith.
Look at the soldiers dividing his clothes. And when it comes to
his expensive tunic woven in one piece they gamble for it. Gambling
relies on chance or “fate.” How many, like these soldiers, remain
blind and ignorant to the Word of God and his plan preferring to
pursue life as if it were no more than a throw of the dice? But
here, in Jesus' long journey to the cross, nothing is a result of
chance or “fate;” all is part of God's divine plan for the salvation
and life of the world. And it is for all who look upon him and believe
that he is the Christ, the Son of God.
When
the soldiers come to put the three out of their misery by breaking
their legs, as the Passover was about to begin, they discover that
Jesus is already dead. As evidence the soldier pierced his chest
with a lance and discovered the non-circulating blood already separated
into its components. But there is more here. For John blood and
water allude to the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper.
Here is your connection with the blessed benefits of his death:
in holy baptism to be united with him in a death like his in order
to be united with him in a resurrection like his (Romans 6); and
in the holy Eucharist, strengthened and sustained in saving faith
by his Body and Blood. As John would write later, “This is he who
came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but
by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies,
because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify:
the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree” [1
John 5:6-8 (ESV)]. In other words this is our connection with the
blessed benefits of his death: through the Word and Sacraments of
Christ.
Thanks
be to God for his glorious victory and gift.
________________________
The Rev. Allen D. Lunneberg
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