Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion
When something painful is about to happen, we generally pull back or look away. Think of the squirming child who sees a needle and doesn’t want to be poked. Or when something starts to get too hot we pull away our hand from the source of heat. Remaining in a painful time does not come naturally to us.
And yet, God invites us to remain with Him. In his Gospel account, St. John highlights the importance of remaining with Jesus. In chapter 15, the second chapter of the Last Supper Discourse, Jesus says, “‘Remain in me, as I remain in you.’”; “‘Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.’”; “‘If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.’”; “‘As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.’”
Remaining when it doesn’t cause us pain is much easier to do. We probably would all say that we want to remain with Christ. But today, as we enter into our Lord’s Passion, remaining with Christ takes on a whole new meaning.
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| Calvary |
It is hard to remain with Christ on a day like today. It is hard to remain with Christ at the foot of the cross, because it is so painful. And yet He especially desires that we remain with Him even at the darkest moments of our life, when our cross gives us the most pain and despair. At those times, we hear the voice of the enemy, inviting us to flee the pain of the cross and immerse ourselves in passing pleasures that make us forget or numb the pain. But those passing pleasures do not last, while the love of God remains forever.
I have said this before, but one of the most precious experiences for me as a priest is the veneration of the cross. As you come and kiss or genuflect or bow to the cross, I, as your spiritual father know some of your crosses, while others remain hidden from my understanding. But as you process forward, I know that you are bringing your struggles and pains to Christ, and remaining with Him, though you could wander off somewhere else. You chose to be here. You chose to remain with Christ at His darkest hour.
But this call to remain with Christ does not only apply today on Good Friday. Throughout the year Christ invites us to remain with Him. He asks us to take His yoke upon our shoulders, because He carries it with us, making it light. Today is meant to stick with us on every Friday, and every day when we are experiencing darkness, pain, and suffering.
Because remaining with Christ on Good Friday means that we can remain with Him on Easter Sunday. But if we run away from the cross, then we also run away from the resurrection. We want new life, but how often are we willing to go through the death that is the necessary path to new life? How many times do we miss out on amazing blessings that God wants to share with us, because we choose not to remain with Him at all times, not just when times are easy or good?
Today the Lord invites us to remain with Him, even when it means remaining at the cross, even when it is painful. Remaining is not always easy; it is not always popular. Remaining with Christ on the cross, as St. John, the Blessed Mother, and the holy women did was not easy and was certainly not popular. There may be no words; there may only be tears. But remain with Christ today, and always, as He remains with us.