Crucifixion

Homily for Good Friday

By Deacon Thomas Stephenson

April 03, 2015

Although the church is always packed on Good Friday, it still amazes me that so many people sacrifice their time and come here for this service. Especially when we have a nice day like today, which seems like the nicest we’ve had in about six months, and it would be very tempting to stay home and get some things done that we haven’t been able to do during our cold winter. But we are here; many of us were here last night, for the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, and will also be here tomorrow evening for our greatest celebration, the Easter Vigil Mass. In participating in as many of the liturgies as we can during the Triduum, we have the opportunity to really immerse ourselves in our faith, to reflect on what Jesus did for us, for all of us, for each of us.

Today, after the joy of yesterday’s Holy Thursday celebration, we confront the sorrow of the crucifixion. We only have to look at the cross to know how excruciating this torture was for Him. We should also remember the mental suffering, the anguish He endured in the garden before His arrest, fully understanding what was to come. Crucifixion was so horrible a means of execution that it was generally reserved for only the worst offenders. So, this was not only a slow and agonizing death, it was also humiliating. Yet, Jesus endured this, for our sake, because this sacrifice is necessary for our salvation. It is His blood that washes away our sins. It is His death that conquers death for us.

We have come to think of crucifixion as an ancient practice. And yet, we hear reports that Christians are being crucified by the Islamic State, in Iraq and Syria. And we hear reports almost daily of attacks on Christians in other parts of the world. Just yesterday, in Kenya, the Islamic terror group al-Shabab attacked a university, separated the Muslims from the Christians, and killed the Christians. Even in Nigeria, the home country of Father Paul and Father Emeka, Boko Haram has been responsible for the slaughter of countless Christians. Regardless of the means of execution, Christian martyrdom, and even crucifixion, is not a thing of the past. We need to pray for all Christians who are suffering or in danger, and also pray for the conversion of their persecutors.

At last night’s Mass, Father Paul reminded us that we should be proud to be Catholic. Not proud in a boastful way, but we should not be ashamed to visibly live our faith when we are not in church, or when we are among non-Catholics. We must not just be people who happen to Catholic, we must be Catholics; our faith must be an integral part of our identity.

God willing, we will not be called to suffer martyrdom because we are Catholic. If it came to that, though, would we stand with Jesus? St. Augustine said of the early martyrs “They practiced the perfect love of which the Lord said there could be none greater. They provided the ‘same kind of meal’ as they themselves had received at the Lord ’s Table.” As Jesus died for them, and for us, they died for Him. It really is worthwhile for us to truly examine our hearts and ask ourselves: do we really love Jesus enough to die for Him? Do we love Him as much as He loves us?

So, let us take some time throughout this weekend to consider the sacrifice Jesus made out of love for us, and also pray for a deepening of our love for Him.