Friday, April 10, 2009

Homily – April 10, 2009 – Good Friday

No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for ones friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.

Another piece of music that I recently composed says this: You are my friends if you do what I command! If you love as I have loved you! Lay down your life; lay down your life for your friends!

The really amazing thing about Jesus' death on the Cross was that he went through with it when we all were still technically his "enemies" – even though he told his Apostles that they were "clean thanks to the word that he had spoken to them." He meant here that they were clean from any serious obstacles that would allow them one day to understand fully what all that he was doing would mean.

And Jesus did die for us sinners, for us enemies, for us friends-turned-traitor; and at that moment the enormous forces of spiritual reconstruction, spiritual renovation, spiritual reconciliation began to happen – and the Divine Friendship between God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and us human creations was reconnected, reestablished, resurrected from the dead! At that point however, no one really knew about it – except the centurion who said: "Truly this was the Son of God – truly everything he told us will be fulfilled!"

And so, by dying, Jesus destroyed our death, and gained for us forgiveness of our sins – if we ask for it; and entrance into heaven – if we live our lives like we want to be there!

The price that we have to pay Jesus made very clear: I carried my Cross and suffered death; you must carry your share, you must occasionally suffer and then die physically – in order to get the full fruits of Redemption! But be not afraid – what I have done, will make it all that much more easy for you!

The second stanza of my composition reads: You are my friends if you do my Father's will, if you do my father's loving will! You are my friends if you follow after me! Pick up your cross, pick up your cross and follow! Follow me into everlasting life! This is the will of the Father that as many as possible will have life on high forever!

Thank you Jesus so much for doing what you
did not even have to do for us – thank you for transforming us once again into Divine Friends of yours; may we do our part so that the Friendship can last our whole lives long – and beyond! We carry our crosses best, when we forget about the pain and suffering and help others because we love God: this is how Jesus did it!

We adore you O Christ, and we bless you; because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world!

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