Good Friday 2018
John 19:26-27
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another, ‘Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.’ This was to fulfill what the scripture says,
‘They divided my clothes among themselves,
and for my clothing they cast lots.’
And that is what the soldiers did.
Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.
Mary and John witnessed it all. The crucifixion. The gambling over his clothes. The waiting for him to die.
Jesus, having been flogged and mocked, is nailed to the cross. Crucified on the cross and enduring great agony and suffering, gasping his last breaths, he sees his mother. The person who has been with him since his first breath on this earth. Through childhood scrapes and bruises, through the beginnings of his public ministry with ridicule and scorn and part of the crowds that have followed him through the countryside. Believing in him from the beginning.
How hard Jesus' suffering must have been for her. Remember when Mary and Joseph brought young Jesus to the temple, Simeon said to Mary,
"This child is destined
to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel…
And a sword will pierce your own heart too."
Simeon had predicted Mary's grief at her Son's execution. Her grief was compounded by the fact that in the midst of Jesus' suffering, people were heaping abuse on Him, mocking and ridiculing Him; gambling for his clothes. For Mary to see such hatred directed at one she loved, to see them be so exceedingly cruel to Him… It's hard for us to imagine the anguish and agony that she felt.
Mary’s wellbeing, as a widow, is the legal responsibility of her oldest son. Protection particularly needed now as she is the mother of a known and crucified criminal. Jesus wants to ensure that she has a place to live and food to eat during her widowhood. He sees her at the foot of the cross, heartbroken and weeping. Instead of being consumed with his own suffering, he is touched by hers.
His concern for others first and foremost, he puts everything and everybody before himself without a word of complaint until the end. Behold, my beloved disciple shall be to you as a son, and provide for you.
‘Woman, here is your son.’.
Christ doesn’t call her mother, but woman; not out of disrespect to her, but partly to conceal her from the mob, lest she should be exposed to their rude insults. Perhaps also to let her know that their natural mother-son relationship was now ending between them. Jesus may also be intending his words to be understood as a formal testament of disposition under Jewish family law.
We don’t know how well Mary and John knew each other? But they had in common their love and devotion for Jesus. They had been journeying with him around the countryside for several years amongst the crowds that followed him, focusing on Jesus’ mission.
Jesus sees his beloved disciple at the foot of the cross. John, always there when Jesus needs him. He knew that John would always be there for his mother too. Jesus, in his dying moments, filled with tender regard for his mother, secured for her an adopted son and obtained for her a home.
‘Here is your mother.’
Even as Jesus was dying on the cross for all the sins of the world, he looked in love on his mother and his closest disciple. He gave them to one another in love, his love to be shared.
And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home. Jesus entrusts his mother to John's care and John takes this commission seriously. Together, in their shared bond of love for Jesus, they shared their grief and their feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. This overwhelming grief of despair, another thing they now have in common. At this time, before the resurrection, Mary and John are confused in their grief. How could Jesus who loved, taught, healed, and showed kindness, be dead?
It wasn’t just out of concern for his mother’s welfare that Jesus gave them to each other. He knew that Mary, having been a loving, devoted mother, would be a comfort to John as well. They would build a life together founded on what they have in common: dedication to Jesus’ mission but most importantly Jesus’ love for them.
Love that surrounded Jesus during his years of ministry, love and care for others. Love that he demonstrated and shared with his followers just the night before at the last supper. He washed their feet, uniting them in the love of his family. Jesus’ love for all of us unites us all as his family, brothers and sisters in Christ.
In the days ahead, as John and Mary see Jesus’ promises fulfilled in the resurrection, their sorrow will turn to joy. They will have faith and hope that look forward, beyond the tragedy of the death that they witnessed, to being united again in love. So, faith, hope and love abide, but the greatest of these is love.
What a gift he gave them! Jesus’ dying love focused on Mary and John, yet is wide enough to include the whole world. To include us. What a gift of love He gives to us. This deep abiding unconditional love that we all yearn for. Jesus loved His mother and John. He loves you with the same kind of love. You are so special to Him. We can rejoice in our standing with Christ. He loves us with the same kind of love that He has for Mary and John.
Loving each other though is tricky and difficult sometimes. Love - if only it was that easy. We’ve heard it before -Love conquers all. All you need is love. Clichés that trick us when we come smack up against our everyday lives. The pain and loss caused by poor choices and bad decisions by ourselves, our family, friends and neighbors.
How do we cope with this? How do we love through and beyond this pain and brokenness?
With Jesus. This shared love, we have together in Jesus, gives us hope. In Jesus’ love for us and our love for one another we have hope. In Jesus Christ we have been given to one another, just as Mary and John were given to each other. Only with Christ-powered love can we have healing.
Our common love for Jesus gives us special insight into each other. We find love for each other in this love for Christ that we share. Our closeness with Jesus, that we share with each other, brings us together. This common bond that we share with all our sisters and brothers in Christ, throughout all time and throughout all place, brings us hope.
Out of love Jesus made Mary’s welfare one of his last cares on the cross, even when making atonement for the sins of the world! We all are in the category of people that Jesus loves. Jesus didn't just love His mother Mary. He didn't just love His beloved John. He died for all people, for all of us. Through Jesus’ death we see His radical and redeeming love for us. Jesus’ mission–from birth through death and into a new beginning–was love.
For Christ’s Love to reach its full potential it must be shared. For Christ’s love for Mary and John to reach across the world we must share it with each other. When Jesus had been asked, ‘Which commandment is the first of all?’ Jesus had answered, ‘The first is you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’
Jesus great selfless love always did things for the benefit of others even in His final agony. Love for us motivated all He did. Feel this love he gives to us and share it throughout your lives. “For all who die believing die safely in His love”
Amen
Heavenly Father, we see Jesus' example of love. As wonderful and loving as relationships can be, they are often complex and sometimes hurtful. Help us to rest in Jesus’ all-powerful healing love as we go about our daily tasks that all too often are done with heavy hearts burdened with grief, loneliness and burdens too heavy to be borne. Feeling Jesus’ steadfast abundant love, we feel refreshed, renewed and restored. Give us the divine wisdom that we need so that we can love as Jesus loves. In His name, we pray. Amen.
John 19:26-27
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another, ‘Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.’ This was to fulfill what the scripture says,
‘They divided my clothes among themselves,
and for my clothing they cast lots.’
And that is what the soldiers did.
Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.
Mary and John witnessed it all. The crucifixion. The gambling over his clothes. The waiting for him to die.
Jesus, having been flogged and mocked, is nailed to the cross. Crucified on the cross and enduring great agony and suffering, gasping his last breaths, he sees his mother. The person who has been with him since his first breath on this earth. Through childhood scrapes and bruises, through the beginnings of his public ministry with ridicule and scorn and part of the crowds that have followed him through the countryside. Believing in him from the beginning.
How hard Jesus' suffering must have been for her. Remember when Mary and Joseph brought young Jesus to the temple, Simeon said to Mary,
"This child is destined
to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel…
And a sword will pierce your own heart too."
Simeon had predicted Mary's grief at her Son's execution. Her grief was compounded by the fact that in the midst of Jesus' suffering, people were heaping abuse on Him, mocking and ridiculing Him; gambling for his clothes. For Mary to see such hatred directed at one she loved, to see them be so exceedingly cruel to Him… It's hard for us to imagine the anguish and agony that she felt.
Mary’s wellbeing, as a widow, is the legal responsibility of her oldest son. Protection particularly needed now as she is the mother of a known and crucified criminal. Jesus wants to ensure that she has a place to live and food to eat during her widowhood. He sees her at the foot of the cross, heartbroken and weeping. Instead of being consumed with his own suffering, he is touched by hers.
His concern for others first and foremost, he puts everything and everybody before himself without a word of complaint until the end. Behold, my beloved disciple shall be to you as a son, and provide for you.
‘Woman, here is your son.’.
Christ doesn’t call her mother, but woman; not out of disrespect to her, but partly to conceal her from the mob, lest she should be exposed to their rude insults. Perhaps also to let her know that their natural mother-son relationship was now ending between them. Jesus may also be intending his words to be understood as a formal testament of disposition under Jewish family law.
We don’t know how well Mary and John knew each other? But they had in common their love and devotion for Jesus. They had been journeying with him around the countryside for several years amongst the crowds that followed him, focusing on Jesus’ mission.
Jesus sees his beloved disciple at the foot of the cross. John, always there when Jesus needs him. He knew that John would always be there for his mother too. Jesus, in his dying moments, filled with tender regard for his mother, secured for her an adopted son and obtained for her a home.
‘Here is your mother.’
Even as Jesus was dying on the cross for all the sins of the world, he looked in love on his mother and his closest disciple. He gave them to one another in love, his love to be shared.
And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home. Jesus entrusts his mother to John's care and John takes this commission seriously. Together, in their shared bond of love for Jesus, they shared their grief and their feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. This overwhelming grief of despair, another thing they now have in common. At this time, before the resurrection, Mary and John are confused in their grief. How could Jesus who loved, taught, healed, and showed kindness, be dead?
It wasn’t just out of concern for his mother’s welfare that Jesus gave them to each other. He knew that Mary, having been a loving, devoted mother, would be a comfort to John as well. They would build a life together founded on what they have in common: dedication to Jesus’ mission but most importantly Jesus’ love for them.
Love that surrounded Jesus during his years of ministry, love and care for others. Love that he demonstrated and shared with his followers just the night before at the last supper. He washed their feet, uniting them in the love of his family. Jesus’ love for all of us unites us all as his family, brothers and sisters in Christ.
In the days ahead, as John and Mary see Jesus’ promises fulfilled in the resurrection, their sorrow will turn to joy. They will have faith and hope that look forward, beyond the tragedy of the death that they witnessed, to being united again in love. So, faith, hope and love abide, but the greatest of these is love.
What a gift he gave them! Jesus’ dying love focused on Mary and John, yet is wide enough to include the whole world. To include us. What a gift of love He gives to us. This deep abiding unconditional love that we all yearn for. Jesus loved His mother and John. He loves you with the same kind of love. You are so special to Him. We can rejoice in our standing with Christ. He loves us with the same kind of love that He has for Mary and John.
Loving each other though is tricky and difficult sometimes. Love - if only it was that easy. We’ve heard it before -Love conquers all. All you need is love. Clichés that trick us when we come smack up against our everyday lives. The pain and loss caused by poor choices and bad decisions by ourselves, our family, friends and neighbors.
How do we cope with this? How do we love through and beyond this pain and brokenness?
With Jesus. This shared love, we have together in Jesus, gives us hope. In Jesus’ love for us and our love for one another we have hope. In Jesus Christ we have been given to one another, just as Mary and John were given to each other. Only with Christ-powered love can we have healing.
Our common love for Jesus gives us special insight into each other. We find love for each other in this love for Christ that we share. Our closeness with Jesus, that we share with each other, brings us together. This common bond that we share with all our sisters and brothers in Christ, throughout all time and throughout all place, brings us hope.
Out of love Jesus made Mary’s welfare one of his last cares on the cross, even when making atonement for the sins of the world! We all are in the category of people that Jesus loves. Jesus didn't just love His mother Mary. He didn't just love His beloved John. He died for all people, for all of us. Through Jesus’ death we see His radical and redeeming love for us. Jesus’ mission–from birth through death and into a new beginning–was love.
For Christ’s Love to reach its full potential it must be shared. For Christ’s love for Mary and John to reach across the world we must share it with each other. When Jesus had been asked, ‘Which commandment is the first of all?’ Jesus had answered, ‘The first is you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’
Jesus great selfless love always did things for the benefit of others even in His final agony. Love for us motivated all He did. Feel this love he gives to us and share it throughout your lives. “For all who die believing die safely in His love”
Amen
Heavenly Father, we see Jesus' example of love. As wonderful and loving as relationships can be, they are often complex and sometimes hurtful. Help us to rest in Jesus’ all-powerful healing love as we go about our daily tasks that all too often are done with heavy hearts burdened with grief, loneliness and burdens too heavy to be borne. Feeling Jesus’ steadfast abundant love, we feel refreshed, renewed and restored. Give us the divine wisdom that we need so that we can love as Jesus loves. In His name, we pray. Amen.
RSS Feed
