The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, as we continue to participate in the Triduum, challenge us to contemplate the action that Jesus' passion and the Cross call us to in service to others.
The reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah is the fourth song of the Suffering Servant.
* [52:13–53:12] The last of the “servant of the Lord” oracles (see note on 42:1–4). Taken together, these oracles depict a figure of one called by God for a vocation to Israel and the nations (42:4; 49:5–6); the servant’s exaltation both opens and closes the passage (52:13; 53:12). The servant responded in fidelity but has suffered opposition (50:4–6). In this fourth oracle the servant is characterized as “a man of suffering” (53:3) and appears to be unjustly put to death (53:8–9). Those who have witnessed his career somehow recognize that he is innocent, has undergone suffering for their sins (53:4–6), and his death is referred to as a reparation offering (see note on 53:10–11). The servant is described in ways that identify him with Israel (which is frequently referred to as “servant” in the context of Second Isaiah—e.g., 41:8, 9; 44:2, 21; 43:4) and is designated as “Israel” in 49:3; yet Israel outside the “servant of the Lord” oracles is not presented as sinless, but rather in exile because of sin (40:2; 42:21–25) and even as servant as deaf and blind (42:18–19). The servant is thus both identified with Israel and distinguished from it. As with the previous servant poems, this chapter helped the followers of Jesus to interpret his suffering, death, and resurrection; see especially the passion narratives. (Isaiah, CHAPTER 52, n.d.)
Psalm 31 is a prayer and praise for deliverance from Enemies.
* [Psalm 31] A lament (Ps 31:2–19) with a strong emphasis on trust (Ps 31:4, 6, 15–16), ending with an anticipatory thanksgiving (Ps 31:20–24). As is usual in laments, the affliction is couched in general terms. The psalmist feels overwhelmed by evil people but trusts in the “God of truth” (Ps 31:6).
* [31:6] Into your hands I commend my spirit: in Lk 23:46 Jesus breathes his last with this Psalm verse. Stephen in Acts 7:59 alludes to these words as he is attacked by enemies. The verse is used as an antiphon in the Divine Office at Compline, the last prayer of the day. (Psalms, PSALM 31, n.d.)
The reading from the Letter to the Hebrews declares Jesus as the Great High Priest.
* [4:14–16] These verses, which return to the theme first sounded in Heb 2:16–3:1, serve as an introduction to the section that follows. The author here alone calls Jesus a great high priest (Heb 4:14), a designation used by Philo for the Logos; perhaps he does so in order to emphasize Jesus’ superiority over the Jewish high priest. He has been tested in every way, yet without sin (Heb 4:15); this indicates an acquaintance with the tradition of Jesus’ temptations, not only at the beginning (as in Mk 1:13) but throughout his public life (cf. Lk 22:28). Although the reign of the exalted Jesus is a theme that occurs elsewhere in Hebrews, and Jesus’ throne is mentioned in Heb 1:8, the throne of grace (Heb 4:16) refers to the throne of God. The similarity of Heb 4:16 to Heb 10:19–22 indicates that the author is thinking of our confident access to God, made possible by the priestly work of Jesus. (Hebrews, CHAPTER 4, n.d.)
The Passion Account in the Gospel of John recalls the events from the betrayal and arrest of Jesus to the Crucifixion of Jesus and His Burial.
* [19:17] Carrying the cross himself: a different picture from that of the synoptics, especially Lk 23:26 where Simon of Cyrene is made to carry the cross, walking behind Jesus. In John’s theology, Jesus remained in complete control and master of his destiny (cf. Jn 10:18). Place of the Skull: the Latin word for skull is Calvaria; hence “Calvary.” Golgotha is actually an Aramaic rather than a Hebrew word.
* [19:19] The inscription differs with slightly different words in each of the four gospels. John’s form is fullest and gives the equivalent of the Latin INRI = Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum. Only John mentions its polyglot character (Jn 19:20) and Pilate’s role in keeping the title unchanged (Jn 19:21–22).
* [19:23–25a] While all four gospels describe the soldiers casting lots to divide Jesus’ garments (see note on Mt 27:35), only John quotes the underlying passage from Ps 22:19, and only John sees each line of the poetic parallelism literally carried out in two separate actions (Jn 19:23–24).
* [19:25] It is not clear whether four women are meant, or three (i.e., Mary the wife of Cl[e]opas [cf. Lk 24:18] is in apposition with his mother’s sister) or two (his mother and his mother’s sister, i.e., Mary of Cl[e]opas and Mary of Magdala). Only John mentions the mother of Jesus here. The synoptics have a group of women looking on from a distance at the cross (Mk 15:40).
* [19:26–27] This scene has been interpreted literally, of Jesus’ concern for his mother; and symbolically, e.g., in the light of the Cana story in Jn 2 (the presence of the mother of Jesus, the address woman, and the mention of the hour) and of the upper room in Jn 13 (the presence of the beloved disciple; the hour). Now that the hour has come (Jn 19:28), Mary (a symbol of the church?) is given a role as the mother of Christians (personified by the beloved disciple); or, as a representative of those seeking salvation, she is supported by the disciple who interprets Jesus’ revelation; or Jewish and Gentile Christianity (or Israel and the Christian community) are reconciled. (John, CHAPTER 19, n.d.)
Edward Morse comments that as we reflect upon the passion of our Lord, his unjust suffering, and the miraculous roots of our salvation, let us come to realize the miracle of faith and the magnificent mercy extended toward us.
The gospels are full of miracles, ranging from healings to exorcisms to resurrection events. Many encountered miracles, but few came to follow Jesus. Many in the crowd who cried out to murder our Lord had undoubtedly known of his miracles. Seeing is not always believing. Somehow, the faithful witness of a few ended up transmitting faith that endures through generations, reaching even unto us.
In our times when faith seems to be in short supply, let us simply turn your hearts to the Lord and thank him for choosing us to be His vessels to carry this most precious gift, even to the end of the age when our Lord returns again. Thanks be to God (Morse, 2023)
Don Schwager quotes “Christ nailed our weakness to the cross,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"As evening drew near, the Lord yielded up His soul upon the cross in the certainty of receiving it back again. It was not wrested from Him against His will. But we too were represented there. Christ had nothing to hang upon the cross except the body He had received from us. And in doing so He nailed our human weakness to the cross." (excerpt from Commentary on Psalm 140,5) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on John 18:1–19:42 invites us to take our place at the foot of the cross and offer him our thanks and praise.
“Humble King, I behold you, suffering in silence. You never cry out to defend yourself; you don’t respond in anger to your tormentors…
“Merciful King, I behold you wounded, hanging upon a cross. Instead of a crown of gold, you wear a crown of thorns. Your precious blood flows down from your head, your hands, your feet. You are suffering unjustly, yet you pray, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
“Triumphant King, I behold you, faithful to the end. No one takes your life from you—you have the power ‘to lay it down’ and the ‘power to take it up again’ (John 10:18). With your dying breath, you give us your Mother as our own (19:27). You proclaim, “It is finished” and hand over your spirit, trusting your Father to raise you up (19:30).
“Jesus, my King, it is right to praise you! I adore you, Lord, for by your cross and resurrection, you have set us free.” (Meditation on John 18:1–19:42, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler discusses the connection of the Songs of the Suffering Servant to the Passion of Jesus and the difficulty it represents to Jewish theology. The structure of the Passion in the Gospel of John emphasizes that Jesus is in charge, contains allusions to Baptism and Eucharist and our mission to marry the next of kin, the Church, and raise up children with the name of Christ. Friar Jude alerts us to the depth of meaning in this Gospel for Good Friday.
Sister Teresa White, who belongs to the Faithful Companions of Jesus, finds, in poetry and painting, ways in which we can see the light of the resurrection in the midst of the darkness of
The cross invites us to heighten our awareness of the solidarity of God, who accompanies us on our human journey, brings healing and solace in our anguish. The French poet, Victor Hugo, in four brief lines written in memory of his beloved daughter who died tragically, hints that through the cross, God finds us, meets us, shares our sorrows:
You who weep, come to this God, for he weeps.
You who are suffering, come to him, for he heals.
You who tremble, come to him, for he smiles.
You who pass by, come to him, for he remains. [6]
After reading this beautiful poem, Charles Spurgeon, a well-known 19th century British Baptist preacher and a contemporary of Hugo, showed a sensitive appreciation of its content when he wrote: ‘Suffering people do not seek the consolation of the Christ who is to come so much as ... that of the Christ who has already come, a man weighed down by sorrow and distress. Jesus is the one who shares our anguish, the one who can say, more legitimately than anyone else, “I am the man who has seen affliction.”’ (White, 2021)
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Presbyterian pastor Rachel Srubas writes of the paradox at the heart of Good Friday and the three-day “triduum” of Holy Week.
A sense of sacred irony, of eloquent mistakes, has for centuries enabled Christians to call the Friday of Jesus’ tortuous execution “good.” This is not a matter of putting a happy spin on a grisly, unjust tragedy. Good Friday, and all Christian life, is about embracing paradox. Jesus’ teachings and his death reveal sacred contradictions. The truth that you and I may try to avoid, the pain we’re loath to face, point the way toward our freedom from captivating lies that perpetuate our suffering. When you and I embrace Jesus’ essential paradox—that to lose is to gain and to die is to live—we come to God, who gathers up the broken pieces of the world and makes them more complete and beautiful than they were before they broke. God integrates all fractious dualities into the wholeness of life that Christians call eternal salvation. It’s a life we get to live here and now, by grace and faith. It’s the life toward which Lent has always pointed. (Rohr, 2023)
We are challenged by the Cross as the event in the Gospel of John that declares the Love of God that we are to share as we raise up children with the Name of Christ.
References
Hebrews, CHAPTER 4. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved April 7, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/hebrews/4?14
Isaiah, CHAPTER 52. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved April 7, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/52?13
John, CHAPTER 19. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved April 7, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/19
Meditation on John 18:1–19:42. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved April 7, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/04/07/646989/
Morse, E. (2023, April 7). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved April 7, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/040723.html
Psalms, PSALM 31. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved April 7, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/31?2
Rohr, R. (2023, April 7). The Divine Paradox — Center for Action and Contemplation. Cac.org. Retrieved April 7, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-divine-paradox-2023-04-07/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved April 7, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=apr7
White, T. (2021, March 29). Paradox and Passion. Thinking Faith. Retrieved April 7, 2023, from https://www.thinkingfaith.org/articles/paradox-and-passion
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