Friday March 29, 2024
Theme: “The death of Jesus Christ: foundation of our salvation”
Text: John 19:18-30
18. There he was crucified, and two others with him, one on each side, and Jesus in the middle. 19. Pilate made an inscription, which he placed on the cross, and which read: Jesus of Nazareth, king of the Jews. 20. Many Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city: it was in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. 21. And the chief priests of the Jews said unto Pilate, Write not, King of the Jews. But write that he said: I am king of the Jews. 22. Pilate answered: What I have written, I have written. 23. The soldiers, after they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and they divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier. They also took his tunic, which was seamless, of one fabric from top to bottom. And they said among themselves, 24. Let us not tear it, but let us cast lots for whose name it will be. This happened that the word of Scripture might be fulfilled: They divided my garments among them, and they cast lots for my tunic. This is what the soldiers did. 25. Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26. Jesus, seeing his mother, and the disciple whom he loved beside her, said to his mother, Woman, behold your son. 27. Then he said to the disciple: This is your mother. And, from that moment, the disciple took her into his home. 28. After this, Jesus, who knew that everything was already finished, said, that the Scripture might be fulfilled: I am thirsty. 29. There was a vase there full of vinegar. The soldiers filled a sponge with it, and, having attached it to a branch of hyssop, they brought it close to his mouth. 30. When Jesus had taken the vinegar, he said: It is finished. And, bowing his head, he gave up the ghost.
Let's remember:
The death of a Savior can never be like that of an average citizen. Ours accomplished everything by his death; however vile it may be. The conspirators who had decided to put Jesus to death did not want this to happen in the city to avoid sedition, popular uprising but also to avoid God's curse on the city. They didn’t know that they were exactly in God’s plan. Hebrews 13:11. “The bodies of beasts, the blood of which is carried into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. 12. Therefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate.” Likewise, to purify lepers, everything was done outside the city. Jesus gave up his spirit surrounded by evildoers, He the Holy of Holies. He was stripped naked so that we would always be clothed in holiness unlike Adam who sinned and was naked. He took our humiliation so that we could be honored. His death revealed to humanity that he was truly the king of the Jews according to Pilate's inscription, which he refused to change even though it was easy to correct. His shared garments and his chosen robe are also a fulfillment of God's prophetic Word. The death of Jesus reconciled the world with God, the creature with its Creator; just as Mary and John were brought together. Jesus died not only as King but also as Priest, Priest on the altar of universal sacrifice for the salvation of humanity. Have a great Good Friday. Amen
Alain Louz.-
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