GOOD FRIDAY: THE PATH TO LASTING PEACE AND JUSTICE
More than one billion people all over the world today commemorate Christianity’s holiest day – Good Friday, the day the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified at Calvary. While taking part in solemn ceremonies, the Christians will also deeply reflect on why Jesus died and the eternal significance of it.
Theologians and scripture scholars tell us that from the beginning of time God spoke of his unending, unfailing, ever merciful gracious and unconditional love for all people. This he said repeated and reiterated in book after book and chapter after chapter of the Holy Bible. For instance the Book of Psalms says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end.”
At one period of history God intervened directly and dramatically to free the Hebrew people who were then the poorest of the poor, the most ill treated and marginalized. That was why He chose them, because they were the poorest of the poor so that through them He could demonstrate His selfless and unconditional love for all people. But over the centuries the religious leaders of these chosen people formulated hundreds of laws to replace God’s offer of unconditional love for all who accept it. The Bible tells us and Christians believe that God then decided to demonstrate this love for the people through his son Jesus Christ. The best known and most widely quoted scriptural verse to explain what happened is found in the Gospel of St. John – for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son so that anyone who accepts that love will have everlasting happiness and eternal life. (John 3/16)
During His life and ministry the Lord Jesus demonstrated the full magnitude of God’s love, how high, deep and wide it is. Eventually in the climax at Calvary, the Lord Jesus showed us that even if people betray, deny or desert Him, even if people whip and strip him and hang him on a cross like a criminal of criminals, He still loves them for God is love. Another verse in the New Testament conveys the message powerfully: “I am certain that neither death nor life, neither angels nor spiritual powers, neither the present nor the future, nor cosmic powers, were they from heaven or from the deep world below, nor any creature whatsoever will separate us from the love of God, which was demonstrated to us by Jesus Christ when He died for us on the cross.” (St. Paul’s letter to the Romans – Chapter 8, vs. 38 and 39)
As we believe, accept, experience and act on this incredible love of God, it changes our nature from self-centredness and selfishness to other centredness and sincere, sacrificial service to others. As we freely receive God’s feet-washing love, we are called upon to give it to others by giving and giving and forgiving, thus transforming ourselves and transforming others. This, the Bible tells us, will give us the power to love our enemies, help those who hurt us, bless those who curse us and pray for those who persecute us. Then there will be miracles, amazing signs and wonders in our lives and in the lives of others bringing about a new world order where there is more care and concern for each other’s needs and wishes, understanding of each other’s faults and weaknesses and appreciation of what is good and nice in each other together with a more equitable distribution of wealth and resources. Then we will have lasting peace, justice and unity in the world.
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