GOOD FRIDAY--- "Was there no other way?"

1. A few years ago, we were having a Good Friday service. At the veneration of the Cross, a little girl came up with her family. As she touched the nails, she softly said "Ouch." That ouch said so softly carried all through the church. It was heard above the choir "Singing were you there when they nailed him to the Cross." Here in the innocence of a little child, the violence of 2000 years ago was made so real and so present. I realised that we cannot forget history. But if we are caught up in the facts that happened 2000 years ago, we will miss the passion happening today.



Good Friday? - the agony in the Garden, the Crowing with thorns, a whipping at the pillar, the carry of the Cross and the humiliating nailing to the Cross. Was there no other way? Our human mind and human reason wold like a more antiseptic and more humane, a more clean way of doing things.
St. Peter tried it 2000 years ago. Lord you should not talk like this !
second grade students will say all you had to do is ask Mrs. Frizzle and her magic yellow bus. Then all would be OK

Karen Maudlin a psychiatrist would like "modulate and reduce intensity and make the situation manageable"

Could not an all knowing God, an all powerful God not done it in another way. Jesus could have died in bed ! Died with dignity. There could have been a legal redemption There could have been a cool, formal pardon of sins. Was there no other way?

2. But as the cliche goes: The heart knows reasons which mind cannot understand.

Our faith is expressed in so many different ways. We have the witness of Oscar Romero in El Salvador. We have the filipino community singing the Pabasa here in the church. You have the Tamil community celebrating the Stations in words and accents we cannot understand. A wise filipina theologian said that to be an integrated Christian we need to Pray, Study and Work

Unfortunately we gradually put our lives in compartments.
the Prayer to Monks in the Monastery
the Study to our Schools of Theology
the work to Parish Social Ministry.
-------- and so our faith is expressed in all different ways, as different as the many colours of the rainbow.

3. And so the Cross stands as a sign of Contradiction both within and outside the Church. And the question still remains: Was there no other way? Jesus wanted to be like us in all things but sin and so the author of the letter to the Hebrews gives us a direction, a signpost:" He is able to sympathize with our weakness. He was tempted in every way that we were, yet never sinned and so we can approach the Lord to receive mercy and grace. He can deal with erring sinners, since he himself was surrounded by weakness."

4. And so as we journey along our pilgrim way, there were be many things that will be stumbling block for some and a scandal for others. And like the Scribes and Pharisees at the foot of the Cross, we too will say to Jesus : Come down from the cross and we will believe in you. We too will ask for conditions.

There are so many scandals in our church, so many children victims. Heal them and I will believe in you.

There are so many good people suffering here. They cannot get jobs, they cannot pay their rent. So many of them are going through depression. Why should evil happen to good people. Answer that and I will believe in you.

Why are so many children being killed by their own parents and companions: Andrea Yates, the Columbine Massacres. Help me to make sense out of that and I will believe in you.

And when I did not seem to get an answer, I too cried: My God, my God have you abandoned me... and I seemed to hear Jesus saying: "Been there, done that". And we get some insight into the Passion and Death. There could be NO OTHER WAY.
No God did not give us his son to die. God simply gave us his Son.

4b Today we do not nail Jesus to the cross. We would invite him to our homes and make fun of him. It happens all to often enough
a betrayed marriage or friendship
a teenager condemned just because of his colour of his hair, the earing he wears, and because he listens to Ja Rule or Shakira or J-Lo
the bigotry and hatred shown to our gay community
the hardness of my heart perhaps like the hardness of the Pharisees and Scribes because they were right.
This service is alive today because the crosses of so many here are so real

5. The Cross is not a hurdle and obstacle. It is the source of Life, the source of Hope, and Love.

It is an Sign and Symbol of Love. Jesus did not want to die. He even prayed "let this chalice pass me by" Yet he embraced the cross because of his Love for us.

It is an invitation to love. It is a call to reach out to those in need of love . I am the eldest of seven sons and when my mother was asked whether she had any favourites, she said "Yes" to the surprise of all. That son is my favourite who needs my love at any given time. If he is sick, if he depressed, if he feels alone - he is my favourite. And the Cross is our invitation to love God's favourites - the one who is at this moment most in need of our care and affection.

It is a commission to love, to go forth. Not to Afghanistan and Palestine and Israel where they are so desperately in need of this Love but perhaps starting right here in our neighbourhood.

6. And Jesus died, He said IT IS FINISHED. But not before he did a few things:

He promised heaven to the Thief "this day you will be with me in paradise"
He forgave his persecutors: "Father forgive them for they know not"
He gave us his mother to care for his church: "Woman behold your son."
He placed his faith again in God, giving us hope when everything = hopeless

As we celebrate this Good Friday Service, as we leave and go home we to need to do a few things: - perhaps take a decision to forgive someone who has hurt us. And it is often the victim who must take the first step. Some may need to take the decision to say to Mum and Dad: "I love you, I am grateful for all you sacrificed for me." some might have to take a decision to come back to God. The Lord says "come back to me with all your heart, long have I waited for you coming home to me and living deeply our new life."
My friends - the Woods are lovely dark and deep, but we have promises to keep and miles to walk before we sleep." God bless you all.