Good Friday: "Were You There?"
Commentary: A more somber turn for "Turn It Up to 11." Fellow Catholic YouTuber Steve the Missionary had the same idea: YouTube-link Steve the Missionary "Good Friday: Were You There?"
'Tis Good Friday (A.K.A. the Friday of the Passion of the Lord), act two of the Paschal Triduum: Friday-link & Wikipedia-link Friday; Wikipedia-link Triduum.
Commentary: Wayback Machine.
Scripture of the Day
Liturgical Readings—Friday of the Passion of the Lord
The Book of Isaiah, chapter fifty-two, verse thirteen thru chapter fifty-three, verse twelve;
Psalm Thirty-one, verses two, six, twelve & thirteen, fifteen & sixteen, seventeen, & twenty-five;
The Letter to the Hebrews, chapter four, verses fourteen, fifteen, & sixteen & chapter five, verses seven, eight, & nine;
The Gospel according to John, chapter eighteen, verse one thru chapter nineteen, verse forty-two.
Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, our Gospel today is John’s great account of the Passion of Jesus. The ultimate good—God incarnate—appeared, and we collectively responded not with exultation but with murderous violence. On Calvary, the Author of Life was crucified and killed.Video reflection by Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, M.Sp.S.: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The crucifixion is the fullest expression of the divine anger at sin. We are meant to see on that cross, not simply a violent display, but rather our own ugliness. What brought Jesus to the cross? Stupidity, anger, mistrust, institutional injustice, betrayal of friends, denial, unspeakable cruelty, scapegoating, and fear.
But in the brutality of the cross we also see the fullest expression of the divine solidarity with sinners. God himself has come to stand with us in our dysfunction and absorb into his forgiveness all of the deadly sins. Yes, we know, with disquieting certitude, that we are sinners. But, with Paul, we willingly boast of our weakness, for we know with equal clarity that we are redeemed sinners.
Jesus’ crucifixion was the opening up of the divine heart so that we could see that no sin of ours could finally separate us from the love of God.
†
Otherwise, 30 March would be the festival of Saint John Climacus, Abbot (circa 579-649; A.K.A. John Scholasticus, John Sinaites): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
Commentary: Wayback Machine. "Climacus" is not a name but an epithet, meaning "of the ladder."
'Twould also be the festival of Saint Peter de Regalado, Priest, O.F.M. Conv. (1390-1456, also spelt Peter Regalatus): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.
Commentary: Wayback Machine. Previously, we've observed the festival of St. Peter on 13 May, but the weight of evidence now suggests 30 March as the preferred date.
'Twould also be the festival of Blessed Amadeus of Savoy, Confessor (1435-1472, A.K.A. Amadeus IX the Happy), Duke of Savoy: Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.
'Twould also be the festival of Saint Ludovico of Casoria, Priest, O.F.M. (1814-1885, A.K.A. Arcangelo Palmentieri), founder of the defunct Gray Friars of Charity & the enduring Gray Sisters of Saint Elizabeth: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.
Papal Quote o' the Day
"Dear friends, let us bring to Christ's Cross our joys, our sufferings, & our failures. There we will find Heart that is open to us & understand us, forgives us, loves us."Little Flower Quote o' the Day
—Pope Francis
"I thirst after heaven, that blessed abode where our love for Jesus will be without bounds."Saint Quote o' the Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"If we knew at what time we were to depart from this world, we would be able to select a season for pleasure & another for repentance. But God, who has promised pardon to every repentant sinner, has not promised us tomorrow. Therefore we must always dread the final day, which we can never foresee. This very day is a day of truce, a day for conversion."
—Pope St. Gregory the Great, Doctor of the Church (540-604, feast day: 3 September)
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