Good Friday Service today at 1:00 pm at St. Mary's Church in Ticonderoga.
Today, on this solemn day of Good Friday, we gather to contemplate the profound mystery of our faith—the Passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Among the many moments of anguish, betrayal, and sorrow in the narrative of Christ's Passion according to John, there is a scene of profound relational depth and theological significance that occurs just before Jesus breathes His last. It is a moment that encapsulates the essence of Christ's mission and the very heart of Christian discipleship.
"Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved he said to his mother, 'Woman, behold, your son.' Then he said to the disciple, 'Behold your mother.' And from that hour the disciple took her into his home."
In this moment, amidst unimaginable suffering and at the threshold of death, Jesus shows us the depth of His concern for us.
He is not only the Savior dying for the sins of the world; He is also a son, caring for His mother, ensuring she is not left alone in her grief and loss. This scene is a profound testament to the human and divine love that Jesus embodies and teaches.
Firstly, this moment highlights the importance of community and care for one another. Jesus, in His final moments, establishes a new familial bond between His mother and the beloved disciple. This act transcends biological ties, emphasizing that our relationships in the community of faith are founded not on blood but on the love of Christ that binds us together. Jesus is teaching us that in Him, we are all family, called to look after one another.
Secondly, this exchange is a model of discipleship. The beloved disciple's acceptance of Mary into his home is a direct act of obedience to Christ's command.
It reminds us that to follow Jesus means to take up responsibilities towards others, to love and care for them, especially the most vulnerable among us.
True discipleship involves making sacrifices and extending our families to include those whom Christ gives us to love.
Lastly, this moment is a profound reflection on the nature of suffering and the presence of God. Even in His darkest hour, Jesus is attentive to the needs of others, reminding us that God is never indifferent to our pains and struggles.
Christ's compassion on the cross teaches us that God's love is most powerfully present in moments of suffering, and that through our own trials, we are invited to share in the redemptive suffering of Jesus.
As we meditate on the Passion of Christ this Good Friday, let us not only be moved by the depth of Jesus's suffering but also be inspired by the breadth of His love and care.
May we, like the beloved disciple, respond to Jesus's call to behold one another as family given to us by Christ Himself.
Let this day deepen our commitment to live out our discipleship through acts of love, compassion, and solidarity with those who suffer.
Amen.