GOOD FRIDAY

April 2, 2010

  Isaiah 52:13-53:12   Psalm: 31  Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9   John 18:1 – 19:42

1 In the book of Numbers we read many stories about the adventures of the People of Israel as they travelled for 40 years through the wilderness. Just before they reached the promised land, they were beginning to loose their patience. They complained and they whined. As a punishment, we are told, God sent fiery serpents. Many people died. They repented. They asked for forgiveness. Moses was told to build a cross and mount a bronze serpent. Those who were bitten and looked at the serpent were cured. It is a bit of a weird story. God seems to be rather unpleasant. Jesus must have found it hard to understand it, especially since he says in the Gospel of Luke: “If you ask your father for a fish, would he hand you a serpent/snake?” Luke 11:11.

2. There was no connection between the Bronze serpent and the healing. It seemed like magic! The cross and serpent strangely enough prefigured the Cross and Jesus. Looking at Jesus, Touching Jesus, Asking Jesus – all these brought healing. But it was no magic. It was a reality, a mystery, but real enough.

The mystery was that

• It was through obedience
• It was by saying “Thy will be done” – just as Mary had said, “be it done to me, according to your will”
• It was because Jesus loved us.

3. He died for us on the Cross, and so we venerate the Cross. There is no magic here. In itself, it just two pieces of wood nailed into a Cross. It is just a sign. It is no magic wand, and it has no magic powers. If there is any magic, it is the wonder of Love. And so we venerate the Cross, and the one who died for us on the Cross. Some of us bow, others genuflect, others kiss it, others touch it and then their head or their heart: One to understand, one to love.

4. There were three trees in Jerusalem: a pine tree, an olive tree and a cedar. They had big dreams. One tree said, “I want to rock and roll with the greatest in the land.”

The second said, I would like to travel to the ends of the earth.

The third said, I would like to go to the highest mountain & gaze east & west and see the whole earth.

A carpenter cut the trees down. He made one into a cradle, the second into a boat and the third into a sign-post.

• There was a young mother, who had a little baby. But there was no room in the inn. So she wrapt him in swaddling clothes. The carpenter heard about her, and sent her the present of the crib. Who was the baby? – and so the crib “rocked and rolled with the greatest”.
   
• The boat meanwhile wanted to be as famous as Noah’s ark, but first he was tested on the Sea of Galilee. One day 12 men and their master climbed into the boat. The master was tired and fell asleep. A storm arose, and the poor boat said, Oh my God, I want to travel to the ends of the earth and here I am going to sink in this small sea of Galilee. And then the Master got up and said to the sea, “Be calm”. The winds died down – and the sea was calm. The boat did not go to the ends of the earth, but did go till the end of time. And who was the Master?
   
• And finally the sign-post: It was not taken to the highest mountain but to a small hill just outside where the tree grew up: Jerusalem. And a man was brought and nailed to that sign-post. And his arms pointed out in love to the east and west – not only through space but also through time. And you know who the man was?

Jesus is with us from birth, through life, and at the hour of death. A carpenter – remember Jesus was a son of a Carpenter – so he must have know the difference in woods: pine, cedar, olive. He must have known those trees and their dreams. He would recognize them immediately. He must have shaped the wood. But today the wood would shape Him into a Son who was obedient, - even unto death on the Cross. And so, we hear that every knee, in heaven and on earth and under the earth will bend. And so we come to venerate the Cross, on which hung our Saviour, and the Saviour of the World.