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Good Friday Reflections: 3-21-08
 

 

Reflection on John 18:28-19:16 (Jesus before Pilate)

Religion and violence seem to be part of human nature and we often appear to have the need to find a scapegoat upon whom to release our own sins.  One thing that I find most troubling about Holy Week and especially the Good Friday readings is the references to Jews as the killers of Christ. 

“And the Jews cried out, ‘Crucify him!  Crucify him!’”

At the time of Christ, there were no Christians.  As Garry Wills tells us in What Paul Meant, there were, “Jews not accepting Jesus as the Messiah of the Jews; Jews accepting Jesus as the Messiah of the Jews; and Non-Jews accepting Jesus as the Messiah of the Jews.”  There were Jews and gentiles, there were no Christians.  The emerging young church sought to find its own identity apart from its Jewish  roots.  As the church developed, church fathers from Patristic times through the Reformation and into the present have characterized Jews negatively. 

In the 4th century, St. Augustine said, “The true image of the Hebrew is Judas Iscariot, who sells the Lord for silver.  The Jew can never understand the Scriptures and forever will bear the guilt for the death of Jesus.” 

Similarly, St. John Chrysostom wrote, “The Jews are the odious assassins of Christ and for killing God there is no expiation possible, no indulgence or pardon.  Christians may never cease vengeance  . . .   God always hated the Jews.  It is incumbent upon all Christians to hate the Jews.”

During the Reformation in the 15th century, Luther made similar claims against the Jews. 

From this background of hatred and revulsion came centuries of Jewish persecution by Christians and ultimately helped create a time in history when the Holocaust could occur.

In 1965, the Second Vatican Council issued the document, Nostra Aetate, in which the Catholic Church attempted to reverse 2000 years of history.  It declared that Jews did not kill Jesus; that the Covenant God made with Israel is full and complete; and that Jews do not go to God through Jesus.  This was revolutionary.  But 2000 years of teaching does not disappear overnight.  Today, we still hear the echoes of anti-Semitism in the media, in hate crimes, and most unfortunately from some in the Christian Church.

I believe that as people of God we must always speak out against acts of hatred and violence and as we will vow tomorrow evening during the Great Vigil, “strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being.”

                                                                                                --Pat V.
                                                                                                   Good Friday 2008

 

References from “The Holocaust, a Teaching Guide for Catholic Schools,” 2002 and the Trinity Institute Conference on Religion and Violence

 

21 March 2008, Good Friday
John 18:1-27 (Peter's Denial)

Impetuous, enthusiastic Peter!
I find him so easy to identify with.
He makes me think of the little boy in a classroom who raises his hand and waves his arm--then blurts out the answer without waiting to be called on.

Sometimes Peter got it just right.
When Jesus asked, "Who do you say I am?", Peter quickly replied "You are the Christ, the anointed one of God."

But other times he got it remarkably wrong.
Shortly after the earlier declaration, when Jesus told his friends they must head for Jerusalem where he would be put to death, Peter spoke sharply to Jesus saying, "No, this must never happen."  This drew the even sharper rebuke from Jesus, "Get behind me, Satan"--In other words, do not tempt me to avoid my destiny.

Now they are in Jerusalem--gathered for the Passover Festival.
Peter has already resisted having his feet washed by Jesus, only to reverse himself and ask for a total bath.
When Jesus talked of leaving them, Peter declared he would follow Jesus and lay down his life for him.  (Perhaps this is what prompted him to carry a sword when they went out to the garden)
Jesus replied that Peter would deny him three times before the cock's crowing signaled morning.

First Peter drew his sword and impulsively cut off the ear of one of those coming to arrest Jesus.  This, of course, drew another rebuke from Jesus. 
Peter persisted in following--but when he saw how Jesus was treated he probably became increasingly fearful and confused.  Perhaps when Peter said, "I do not know this man", he partially meant, "I do not know what is going on here."

But with his third denial, he heard the cock crow.  What devastation Peter must have felt.  For all his earlier bravado, he had failed.  The other gospels tell us that Peter wept bitterly--which is probably a relatively mild description for how he felt.

As I identify with Peter in his impulsive moments, I can also identify with Peter in this moment of abject failure.  How many times I have made promises to God to do something or not to do something, and failed completely to keep the promise.  It is probably a recurring theme in most of our lives.  The difference for me is that I already know--as Paul Harvey used to say on the radio--"...The Rest of the Story."  I know that Jesus loved Peter as he was--in all of his impulsiveness and imperfection.  And I know that he loves me as I am.  Jesus rose and redeemed all of creation--including Peter and me and each of you.

When I visited the Holy Land in 1998 one of the places I especially liked was a piece of the gravelly shore on the Sea of Galilee commemorating the post-ressurection appearance of Jesus to Peter as he was out in his fishing boat--perhaps trying to forget all that had just seemed to go wrong in his life.  I wrote a poem that I will share with you in closing.

Tired
Frustrated
On the lake all night
With nary a bite.
The man on shore cried
“Try it my way”
And blessing piled upon blessing.

Impulsive Peter
Naked as Adam
Rushed to his Lord.

Peter, do you love me? Yes
(and the cock crew)
Peter, do you love me? Yes
(and the cock crew)
Peter, do you love me?  Of course!
(and the cock crew, Feed my sheep!)

The broken Peter was put right.

 

Lou R.

 

 

Good Friday Reflection  
John 19. 16b-42

 

As I read and reread this long passage, I was struck again and again by a verse.  It’s a small verse, really half a verse, yet my heart returned to it each time.

“Then He bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”   John 19.30b

At my first reading, I wanted to change that word “gave”, especially when it was paired with up- Gave Up sounded like quitting.  We live in a society that says winners never quit and quitters never win.  I wanted it to say offered up, it seemed lofty, more important. But on second thought it seemed more distant, I realize that we can use words to separate us from things that are hard.  So, I’m back to GAVE, but what does that mean?
Webster’s Dictionary says:  Gave is…

  1. to make a present of
  2. to deliver in exchange for, in recompense  for
  3. to place in the hands of

“Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

Did he make a present of his spirit?
Did he deliver his spirit in exchange for or in recompense for us?
Did he place his spirit in the hands of God - In the hands of us?

Yes to all of these Jesus gave us a gift that was not just love, friendship, patience, acceptance, but a more personal relationship with God. He shows us a path to walk that is righteous with God and neighbor.  Jesus’ gift didn’t come without loneliness, fear, pain and acceptance. 

Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit

In reading this verse, I find my self thinking of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, praying “Yet not what I want, but you want.”  What must he have felt at such a profound change, to give up his life?  If I were asked, could I give my love’s embrace, a friend’s smile, children’s laughter, a sunny day; a soul felt discussion, my life?   My list goes on, but I am sure that Jesus’ list was even longer.  And he knew that he would endure loneliness, fear, pain, and finally acceptance.

Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

There is a comfort that I hold close – In worship center, when we extinguish our Christ Candle and see the smoke rise away, we say that we are changing the light so that Jesus can be in all places and at all times.

Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

 

Jenny D.

 

 

 

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