The Heart of Our Lives

Author’s Note: If you are going to read this reflection, I ask that you first read the Gospel. Please
do not miss out on the incredible Scripture readings these few, short days.
In these three days, we enter once again into the sacred Triduum. We enter into the heart of
Christ’s life. We enter into the heart of our own life.

Why is it Good?

A few days ago, one of my students remarked “Why do we call it Good Friday?” We had just
finished praying The Stations of the Cross followed by a short show- and-tell of the crown of
thorns and the nails used to pierce Christ’s hands. It seemed the student understood the ugliness
and brutality of the day. Therefore, why was it good?

When we read the Gospel of St. John (the beloved one of Christ), the writer spends very little time on both the Agony in the Garden and the Crucifixion. He doesn’t even address the agony, but skips right to the betrayal. When he talks about the Crucifixion, he says, “There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle.” That’s all we get. John was an eyewitness of the entire passion, but he shares the least amount of details compared to the rest of the Gospel writers. We might understand this lack of detail as proof for how horrific that day was. John understood the gravity
and viciousness of the day, and thus would only have wanted to spend the minimum amount of
time possible recounting it in his writing. Therefore, it is understandable that the student would
challenge the word good.

Heaven and Earth

And yet, this event was the greatest moment in human history. It was the moment when heaven
and earth touched. It was so great that Christ asked His disciples to “do this in memory of me”
which we celebrate every day at the Holy Sacrifice at the Mass. “And just as Moses lifted up the
serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him
may have eternal life.” And . . . For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life (John 3:14-16).
We have been won at a great price. True. But now we are free. Christ has won for us His Body
and Blood that we might never hunger, that we might never thirst — again. We have been
crowned with glory and honor and all things made subject to our feet (Heb 2:9) that we might be
Him, alter Christus, ipse Christus. How wonderful are your works, O Lord Mighty God.
If that’s not good news, what is? And thus, it is good — very good — that we call today Good
Friday.

[Readings: Isaiah 52:13—53:12; Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9; John 18:1—19:42]