Homily Good Friday 4-19-19

On Monday we saw the immense fire engulfing the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, many people began praying immediately, fortunately, although damaged, it was spared.  The fire itself could remind us of our need for purification, the need to put God first in our lives.

Now as spring flowers brighten our landscape & the darkness of winter fades, the TRUTH of God’s light in the world becomes more apparent through nature.  Good Friday reminds us that we are to bring His light in the world.  Living Christ’s light in the world in not always easy - many times it involves pain and suffering.  Sometimes it involves our own Good Fridays: nail marks & death included.

        

# 1-5-7-6-2-2                        

Seventeen-year-old Eli loved her grandfather Yosef very much & wanted to do something very special for him.  So she got a tattoo.  When Yosef saw it, he was overcome.  With tears in his eyes, he kissed the tattoo on his granddaughter’s forearm.  Yosef has the same # on his forearm, got his number over 75 years ago at Auschwitz concentration camp.  Eli has had her tattoo for several years now & so the story of her grandfather’s and the Jewish people’s triumph in the face of devastation - will live for another generation. [Connections]

Our Baptism is our tattoo (on our soul) and with it we entered Christ’s death and resurrection.  We remember our Baptism each time we make the sign of he cross!

Archbishop Martin [of Dublin] said, “Renewal in the church means that all of us need to learn more deeply how to think like Christ, how to teach like Christ and care as Christ did.”  (Origins)

Last Sunday St. Luke told us that after Peter denied Jesus the 3^rd time, “The Lord turned and look at Peter.”  Jesus looked at Peter with love and He looks at each one of us with love.  Today Good Friday we will walk with Mary in remembering Jesus’ love for us.

The Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary made the “…first way of the cross ….”  Her eyes, her heart and her soul will guide our reflection today.

“Mary, Did You Know … that your baby boy would one day walk on water …
That the blind would see,

the deaf would hear,

the dead would live again,
the lame would leap,

the dumb would speak,

{Mary, Did You Know that your baby boy} is heaven's perfect lamb?” [Songwriters: Buddy Greene / Mark Lowry]

Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day be crucified and demonstrate God’s love?  Mary slowly walked as her Son carried The Cross - knowing His Cross is weighed down by the evil of our world and the weight of our sins.  Jesus sees Mary’s anguish and heartache and He awaits our contrition, our commitment to live His Way in our daily life.

Mary reflected on the Angel’s message from long ago;

on Joseph’s acceptance of her willingness to give birth the Messiah;

on the Magi’s visit;

on their time in Egypt;

on that 1^st miracle at Cana;

on Her Son’s proclamation of the Kingdom & now on His struggle to carry our SINS on THE CROSS, to carry our SINS by HIS LOVE.

We believe dear Jesus that you are true God and true Man; You told us you must be lifted up.  “Lifted-up on the Cross, Lifted-up from the tomb in Your Resurrection, Lifted-up to Heaven in Your Ascension.

We believe that You lift us up through Your Grace and Sacraments and that one day You will lift us up to eternal life.”

[Lifted-up reference from Cardinal Dolan, Laetare Sunday Homily, 2018]

With hearts bent in humility we “approach the throne of grace to receive mercy.”  [Hebrews 4]  As we venerate the Cross & reflect on Mary’s willingness to follow God’s will every day of her life; I pray that we commit to following God’s will each day of our lives.

May God Be Praised!