Leader of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross, Mgr Harry Entwistle, with the Very Rev Fr Richard Waddell VG and the Very Rev Fr Steven Hill. Photo: Giovanni Portelli.
By Mgr Harry Entwistle
If non-Christians look at the sweating, bleeding Jesus being crucified on Good Friday, do they see another State sanctioned murder or a just end to a rebel?
When Christians look at the same scene, what do they see? St Augustine said that the chief cause of Jesus Christ’s coming was so that people might know how much God loves them. We know that love is kind, healing and reassuring so how can God’s love be like this brutal act. It seems a strange way to show love.
But is it strange? Don’t humans suffer when they see their children or friends making a mess of their life? Don’t they suffer with, on behalf and because of those they love?
If people don’t want to suffer in this way, they should never love anyone or anything.
Just before his crucifixion Jesus washed His followers’ feet and told them to love each other as He had loved them, so Christians believe that Jesus’ suffering on Jesus on the Cross is not the suffering of a defeated, crushed individual, but God suffering with those He loves, namely you and me.
Leader of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross, Mgr Harry Entwistle, with Mgr Keith Newton, from the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, and Bishop Steven Lopes, from the Ordinariate of the Chair of St Peter. Photo: Emilie Ng, The Catholic Leader.
Christians believe His nailed outstretched arms are more than pure brutality, they are the arms of one who loves, asking to be loved in return.
Jesus is either and unfortunate deluded fool, or He is God who shares our fragile lives and invites us to respond to His love for us.
No-one not even God, can make us respond to any love we may be shown. We choose to respond. There is plenty of love in the world, but it can easily become perverted.
There is no shortage of acts of courageous self-giving, but we also see the opposite, which is not hate, but control, manipulation and persecution. We see generosity and care for others, but there are also greed and avoidance of responsibility. Achievement is recognised, but there is also the crushing of hopes and dreams.
What will you see on Good Friday? Will it be Good because you see God showing that patience, meekness, forgiveness and selfless love is stronger than evil. Will you see Him reaching out to you inviting you to love Him and each other? Will it be Good because you choose to respond positively leading to a new life, or will Friday, March 30th be just another brick in the wall of your life?