First Reading • Isaiah 52:13—53:12
Psalm • Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25
Second Reading • Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9
Gospel • John 18:1—19:42
Today, we stand at the foot of the Cross, beholding the immense love of our Savior. Good Friday is not just a day of sorrow; it is a day of profound love—a love that is willing to suffer, to sacrifice, and to save.
As we hear the Passion narrative, our hearts are drawn to the suffering of Jesus.
The betrayal by Judas, the denial by Peter, the abandonment by His disciples, the unjust trial, the scourging, the crown of thorns, the weight of the Cross, and finally, His crucifixion – all of it reveals the depth of Christ’s love for us.
In his prophecy about the death of Jesus in today’s first reading, Isaiah tells us that He would die for our sins: “But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed…. (Is 53: 5, 6b NRSV).
He took upon Himself the burden of our sins so that we might be reconciled with the Father.
In His final moments, Jesus utters words of forgiveness, of love, of surrender: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Even in agony, His heart overflows with mercy.
He turns to the repentant thief and promises him paradise. He entrusts His mother to John, and John to His mother, forming a new family—the Church. And finally, He declares, “It is finished” (John 19:30), not in defeat, but in victory. The work of redemption is accomplished.
But Good Friday is not the end of the story. The darkness of this day will give w ay to the light of Easter.
The Cross, once an instrument of torture, becomes the sign of our salvation. That is why we dare to put at the center of our churches a cross with the half-naked body of a dying man on it.
That is why we read aloud the entire story of Jesus’ crucifixion and death every Good Friday – not only to remind us of the sad story of our sinfulness, but to proclaim the great love of our God.
That is why we will form a line and individually process up to kiss the Cross. We do that because Jesus’ great love has transformed this ancient instrument of torture and death into the means of our salvation and eternal life.
As we venerate the Cross today, let us not only mourn Christ’s suffering but also embrace the love that led Him to the Cross.
Let us bring to Him our sins, our burdens, our struggles, knowing that His sacrifice has the power to transform us. And let us remember that through His death, we have been given the promise of eternal life.
There was once a young boy who came from a very poor family. His father had passed away, and his mother worked long hours just to keep them fed. On Good Friday, the boy went to church, watching quietly as others brought offerings – flowers, candles, donations.
The boy had nothing to give. But he remembered the old, broken watch in his pocket – his father’s watch.
It didn’t tick anymore, the glass was cracked, but it was the one thing that reminded him of his dad’s love.
As the congregation came forward to venerate the cross, the boy hesitated, then gently placed the broken watch at the foot of the cross.
The priest saw it, picked it up after the service, and asked the boy, “Why did you leave this here?”
The boy said, “It’s all I had, but it’s the most important thing I own. Jesus gave everything for me. I wanted to give Him something back.”
That’s the heart of Good Friday. Christ gave everything—His very life—for us. And what He desires in return is not perfection, but our love. Even if it’s broken, even if it’s all we have, when we lay it at the foot of the cross, it becomes something beautiful.
May we leave this place today in silence, carrying the weight of Christ’s sacrifice in our hearts, but also with hope, knowing that Easter Sunday is coming.
