Truth

Homily for Good Friday

By Deacon Thomas Stephenson

April 18, 2014

“What is truth?”

Pilate’s question is one that we still hear echoing to this day. And it is asked for pretty much the same reason – because some do not want to acknowledge what the truth actually is. How often have we heard the absurd statement “that may be true for you but not for me?” Pilate did not, could not, recognize or understand what Jesus told him, that He came to testify to the truth, and that everyone who belongs to the truth listens to His voice. And one way of ignoring Jesus’ voice is to question even the ability to define what truth is.

We know, not just in our minds but in our hearts, what truth is, or more accurately, Who truth is. We can define truth by listening to Jesus. He tells us “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.” These words are heard as part of Jesus’ discussion with the Apostles in Chapters 13 to 17 in the Gospel of John. He was preparing them, giving them His last teachings about Himself, before experiencing His death by crucifixion.

We can imagine how convinced the Apostles must have been by the end of the Last Supper, how full of faith they were as the closest followers of Jesus. So, we can also imagine the disappointment, the anguish, the devastation they must have felt after seeing Jesus die the death of the lowliest of criminals. Were they deceived? Were they lied to by this man who claimed to be truth? What hope could they have possibly had at that point?

It is impossible for us to completely put ourselves in their place, to fully understand what they felt, because we know what the outcome was on Easter morning. Even with that knowledge, we must contemplate the crucifix – the cross on which hangs the saviour of the world, the truth. We need to recognize the shame, the humiliation, and the horror of Jesus death on the cross. We see the crucifix so frequently that we may not see the depth of the pain and suffering that the Lord experienced for us – for you, and for me. In his homily on Sunday, and again last evening, Father Paul reminded us that Jesus did not just come to save mankind in general; He came, and died, for us as individuals. Pope Francis made this point in his Wednesday audience, saying “This week we think so much of the pain of Jesus, and we tell ourselves: ‘this is for me. Even if I had been the only person in the world, He would have done it. He did it for me.’ And we kiss the Crucifix and say: ‘For me. Thank you, Jesus.’” Even if any single one of us was the only person in the world, He would have done this. We can each say “for me”.

Does this cause us sorrow? Of course it does, or should. But not only sorrow. It may seem a bit strange to say it, but we should also recognize the glory in the cross. Glory because by His cross, we are redeemed. On the cross, He showed His love for us. He willingly suffered and died, offering Himself for the forgiveness of our sins.

This is truth. This is eternal truth, truth for all, truth that may be avoided, may be dismissed, may be denied, but it is truth nonetheless. The truth that leads us to life, the truth that leads us to the Father.

It is right for us to weep at the cross, to behold the dreadful reality of sin, to remember Christ’s awesome sacrifice. But it is good for us to rejoice as well, for the Lord has won victory for us, right there.