HOMILY – GOOD FRIDAY
ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA CATHOLIC CHURCH
GREENVILLE, SC APRIL 10, 2009 – 12 & 7PM

May the death of our Lord Jesus give us the clear signal He intends by it.

Service, reverence, a chorus line.

Service.  What we look on when we look on the cross is that altar, that place where the depth of service has been revealed.  Think of it as a page in the parenting handbook, the managers manual, the seminary text.  Here is where and how you serve.

The cross is absurdity isn’t it.  We have a time of it, get in a fit, if we think on it more than 5 minutes.  Shouldn’t there have been some corrective lightning bolts, a few “struck dumb” like Joseph was?  Couldn’t the Father have jostled people a little to reconsider their great shout, “CRUCIFY HIM!”  But no, he bleeds.  He looks on and asks the Father to forgive them.  Crazy huh?  It is defined, clear, other-centered, unmistakable service.  It is our origin and our destiny, His way, our way.  Serve.

Reverence.  Through the passion Jesus shows what was not often showed to Him.  Reverence.  Through His reverence, St. Paul says, “He was heard by the Father.”  Jesus did the thing high priests do – he cried out for the people and for Himself to God.  Tears of sympathy and prayers for the purification of His people, He brought us before the throne of grace and mercy.  He stands now, waiting, our defense attorney, justified by love. 

This is real reverence.  Jesus’ life has no false piety, no special gestures to show how holy He is, His life is not for show.  It heals, delivers, reconciles.  And none of it is “pretty religion.”  No, loving is messy.
In this case messy means brutal death.

A chorus line.  In the missalette we read from as a drama group recreating the scene of the passion and death of Jesus, there are parts for you, the congregation.  Your part is called, “Chorus.”  One of your lines is…
“We have no king but Caesar.”  There it is. 

The real problem boils down to that line doesn’t it.  Replace the title Caesar with anything that rules.  Our bellies, our fear, our money, our status, our collection of stuff, our pride.  What rules?  Getting at that, and getting to change, making Jesus the ruler, can remove nails driven into His flesh.  Having no King but Jesus gives the chorus line comedy tones.

Let our chorus line be, “We have no King but Jesus!”  Go ahead!

His life is for you and me, not for show for deliverance from self, from shallow dumb things that fails us.  It is a life of radical service.  How can your life and mine better imitate that?  This continues the delivery route.
Everyone gets their package when you and I ride this truck.

Until then, He will bleed, hoping we come to understanding, and mission.

(sing) We hold the death of the Lord, deep in our hearts.  Living, now we remain, with Jesus the Christ.