Obedienace and Acceptance
Good Friday brings us together to recall and share in the affliction and sufferings of Christ. It also teaches us many valuable lessons. In the Garden of Gethsemane, the human side of Jesus did not want to go through the pain and sufferings he knew he would face; he knelt down and prayed, "Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass me by; but not my, but your will be done". Even in his hour of agony, he was obedient and accepted the will of his father in Heaven. Scriptures says that God sent down an angel to help him.
Reflection:
In our times of anguish and sufferings, we remember what happened to Jesus and we can reach out to him for understanding and sympathy. "Not mine, O Lord, but Your will be done". This is a powerful prayer, and when we pray this from the depths of our heart, yes, God will send down an 'angel' to help us go through the difficulty...the 'angel' in the form of courage, strength and wisdom; or a faithful friend to bear the pain with us. Only by accepting totally to comply with the will of God, can we attain peace and at the same time, allow God to take us to the next level of our lives.
On the Cross in Calvary, we recall the seven last words of Christ:
1) "Father, forgive them as they know not what they are doing."
Bruised, broken, weak, bleeding and in severe pain from the gruesome torture by the guards, Jesus could still forgive his persecutors. Such is his limitless love and mercy for us. In our human life, whenever we sin and in need of forgiveness, we know that our Lord in his infinite mercy will find any reason to relieve us of our guilt.
2) "This day, you will be with me in Paradise."
Another act of divine generosity that is so consoling...to know that even at the last minute of our life, if we ask for forgiveness, our Lord will extend it without any conditions, just as he did to the 'good thief' hanging beside him.
3) "Woman, this is your son."
An act of filial piety as he trusts his mother to the care of John, the only apostle present on Calvary. In his dying moments, he taught us to love, honour and care for our parents who have sacrificed much to bring us up.
4) "My God, my God, why have Thou forsaken me?"
The human side of Jesus echoes our plight too when darkness pervades us as in adversity or in sickness and pain. We remember our Lord and are one with him in his agony on Calvary...we share that darkest moment with him; but into that darkness comes light, His light given to us to be our peace.
5) "I thirst"
It could be a physical thirst, but our Lord, hanging on the Cross has a deeper thirst...for all those who rejected him, he wants to extend his warmth and love to them; to us all, a precious gift...his love for us and and a thirst for us to love him in return.
6) "It is achieved"
God's work has been done. For our salvation, He came to us to live as man, vulnerable like us and to understand our human experience. He taught us how to live with love, mercy and compassion in our hearts for others. He leads us from darkness to light, from death to life...a happiness given to those who believe in him and follow his teachings and who sought only to do God's will.
7) "Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit"
A cry of total abandonment to God, the Father. When we face our most difficult trials, when sorrows envelope us, we too can resign ourselves to God and say " Into your hands, O Lord I commend my spirit". ("Into your hands, O Lord, I place all my troubles and pain for your help and guidance"). From this abandonment comes light and meaning... that in carrying our cross, we are sharing in his sufferings and death and discover in us, the meaning of the resurrection, the core of our faith. Similarly, when we overcome our fears, anxieties, or disappointments in our daily life, we are experiencing 'little deaths' and we find that these daily difficulties have within them the joy of resurrection.
He died not for men, but for each man.
If each man had been the only man made,
He would have done no less.
-C S Lewis-
Reflection:
In our times of anguish and sufferings, we remember what happened to Jesus and we can reach out to him for understanding and sympathy. "Not mine, O Lord, but Your will be done". This is a powerful prayer, and when we pray this from the depths of our heart, yes, God will send down an 'angel' to help us go through the difficulty...the 'angel' in the form of courage, strength and wisdom; or a faithful friend to bear the pain with us. Only by accepting totally to comply with the will of God, can we attain peace and at the same time, allow God to take us to the next level of our lives.
On the Cross in Calvary, we recall the seven last words of Christ:
1) "Father, forgive them as they know not what they are doing."
Bruised, broken, weak, bleeding and in severe pain from the gruesome torture by the guards, Jesus could still forgive his persecutors. Such is his limitless love and mercy for us. In our human life, whenever we sin and in need of forgiveness, we know that our Lord in his infinite mercy will find any reason to relieve us of our guilt.
2) "This day, you will be with me in Paradise."
Another act of divine generosity that is so consoling...to know that even at the last minute of our life, if we ask for forgiveness, our Lord will extend it without any conditions, just as he did to the 'good thief' hanging beside him.
3) "Woman, this is your son."
An act of filial piety as he trusts his mother to the care of John, the only apostle present on Calvary. In his dying moments, he taught us to love, honour and care for our parents who have sacrificed much to bring us up.
4) "My God, my God, why have Thou forsaken me?"
The human side of Jesus echoes our plight too when darkness pervades us as in adversity or in sickness and pain. We remember our Lord and are one with him in his agony on Calvary...we share that darkest moment with him; but into that darkness comes light, His light given to us to be our peace.
5) "I thirst"
It could be a physical thirst, but our Lord, hanging on the Cross has a deeper thirst...for all those who rejected him, he wants to extend his warmth and love to them; to us all, a precious gift...his love for us and and a thirst for us to love him in return.
6) "It is achieved"
God's work has been done. For our salvation, He came to us to live as man, vulnerable like us and to understand our human experience. He taught us how to live with love, mercy and compassion in our hearts for others. He leads us from darkness to light, from death to life...a happiness given to those who believe in him and follow his teachings and who sought only to do God's will.
7) "Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit"
A cry of total abandonment to God, the Father. When we face our most difficult trials, when sorrows envelope us, we too can resign ourselves to God and say " Into your hands, O Lord I commend my spirit". ("Into your hands, O Lord, I place all my troubles and pain for your help and guidance"). From this abandonment comes light and meaning... that in carrying our cross, we are sharing in his sufferings and death and discover in us, the meaning of the resurrection, the core of our faith. Similarly, when we overcome our fears, anxieties, or disappointments in our daily life, we are experiencing 'little deaths' and we find that these daily difficulties have within them the joy of resurrection.
He died not for men, but for each man.
If each man had been the only man made,
He would have done no less.
-C S Lewis-
