Since we cannot meet in Church this year to commemorate Easter, I thought I would post a series of reflections on the crucifixion of our Lord. So many families around the world will be bereaved at this time, and so many people with the virus will be scared and fearful of what will happen to them. May Christ be with them and comfort them at this time, ‘We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world’.
- Ecce Homo: Jesus is tried by Pilate
Prayer: Pray for forgiveness of all our failures in justice, for forgiveness for the benefits we reap from the misfortunes and exploitation of others- the poor, the underpaid; pray for the victims of injustice in all the places of the world where oppression and violence rule.
Holy God, Holy Strong One, Holy Immortal One. Have Mercy Upon Us.
John 19:14-16: ‘Now it was the day of preparation of the passover; it was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “behold your King!” They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no King but Caesar.” Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.’
‘My Song is Love Unknown’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M4uUJibpvw
2. Jesus has the cross laid upon him
Prayer: Pray for freedom from the burden of our sins, to break the ties which hold us back from God and other people, to place no burdens on others; pray for the grace to take up our cross and follow Jesus all our lives.
Holy God, Holy Strong One, Holy Immortal One. Have Mercy Upon Us.
John 19:17 ‘So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha.’
A reflection on Good Friday by Br.Richard of Taize:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_14V_sPOh4g
3. Jesus dies on the cross.
Prayer: There is nothing to say except Amen: before the immensity of this self-giving, before the cross, we stretch out our empty hands and thank God for his infinite mercy and love; we ask and accept his forgiveness, making Jesus’ prayer our own: “Father, forgive us, we know no what we do”.
Holy God, Holy Strong One, Holy Immortal One. Have Mercy Upon Us.
John 19:28-37. ‘After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst”. A bowl full of vinegar stood there, so they put a spinge full of vinegar on hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, ‘it is finished,’ and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.’
Bach. O Sacred Head Sore Wounded.
4. The Body of Jesus is Laid in the Tomb.
Prayer: Give thanks for Christ’s victory over death, which gives meaning to a world where cruelty, death and destruction often seem triumphant; pray for the grace to believe and trust in that victory; pray for the gift of hope in his new creation.
Holy God, Holy Strong One, Holy Immortal One. Have Mercy Upon Us.
John 19: 38-42. ‘After this Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him leave. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who had at first come to him by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds’ in weight. They took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb where on had ever been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, as the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.’
Bach. A song of Arimathea: ‘Mache dich, mein Herze, rein’
‘Make yourself pure, my heart,
I want to bury Jesus myself.
For from now on he shall have in me,
forever and ever,
his sweet rest.
World, get out, let Jesus in!’
5. Jesus rescues Adam and Eve from Hades.
There is an Ancient homily written by an anonymous author, which details a beautiful dialogue between Adam, who had caused the fall of humanity, and Jesus, the second Adam and Adam’s redeemer. It was written specifically for Holy Saturday, that day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday where the world awaits the resurrection. Below is that text:
‘Something strange is happening – there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.
He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory.
At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all.”
Christ answered him: “And with your spirit.” He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”
Christ: ‘I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated. For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave; I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth. For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden.
See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you. See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in my image. On my back see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back. See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree.
I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you.
Rise, let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you. I appointed cherubim to guard you as slaves are guarded, but now I make them worship you as God. The throne formed by cherubim awaits you, its bearers swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.’
Stainer. ‘Fling Wides the Gates [of Hades]’:
The Fine Game of Nil 
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