GOOD FRIDAY. THE LORD’S PASSION. By Tobe Eze

GOOD FRIDAY. THE LORD’S PASSION.

First Reading

Isaiah 52:13-53:12

Second Reading

Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9

Gospel (Passion)

John 18:1-19:42

THEME: WHO’S FAULT?

I may not necessarily analyze the readings of today, I want to take another route which still has connection with the readings but not explicit. A man caught a life bush rat and covered it with a local basket in the kitchen, locked the kitchen door and left for somewhere. His two little sons were at home. The first knew about the bush rat but the second was not aware of it. The second one was hearing a strange sound in the kitchen and went and called the first one to tell him what was happening. He told him what was there and warned him not to go near it. He accepted. After a long time, the first son asked the second son. Will it not be good if we play with that rat? Continue Reading.............................................

The second reminded him that he told him that their father said they should not near that kitchen talk more of the bush rat. After some words of persuasion, the second son accepted and they went, opened the kitchen. The second son open the basket, the first closed the door and they were running around with the rat. At a point, the second son knowingly opened the door and the bush rat ran away. In this story, who was now the cause of the problem? Was it first son who persuaded his brother for them to go and play with the bush rat or the second son who eventually opened the door? Certainly two of them are at fault.

Bringing it to what we have today, who is the cause of the death of Christ? Shall we take it back to the Old Testament or the New Testament or to our present days? If we are to go back to the Old Testament, we have many persons to be blamed. 1. We must blame Adam for leaving his wife lonely when God had provided them with everything. He would not have given reason that he went to work, for what they will eat. Where did he leave his wife to go? 2. We have to blame the serpent that utilized the opportunity Adam created. Why should it utilize every slighted mistake one makes? 3. We should also blame Eve who did not reason at all and fell into the temptation. She did not even have respect for the husband, she would have told the serpent, I have heard you, when my husband comes back, we will give you a reply rather she just collected and ate it. We all know that it is very difficult for a man to reject anything from the woman he loves and the love of life of Adam had the gut to give Adam the fruit when he came back. 4. Coming to Adam again, he did not even ask question again, he just sheepishly collected and ate it.

If we are to go to the New Testament, 1. We should blame Jesus who knew that entering Jerusalem will cause him his life and he entered. Knowing that it must be through someone and the person will be condemned, he would have checked another way. 2. We shall blame the Jews, Pharisees and the Scribes who continued to be envious and jealous of Jesus and refused to accept the truth. 3. We should blame the apostles who could not follow their master to pray at the garden of Gethsemane, they were busy sleeping. 4. We should blame Judas who betrayed his master after series of warnings from Jesus. 5. We should blame Peter who denied him, they may have had mercy on him because of Peter, who knows? 6. We should blame the soldiers who accepted to kill an innocent man. 7. We should blame the people who shouted kill him and crucify him. 8. We should blame Pilate who condemned him. Many are to be blamed here if we continue.

The present days. 1. We are to blame pagans who have refused to become Christians. 2. We should blame Muslims who are terrorizing people every now and then. 3. We should blame Christians who are not living the life of a good Christian. 4. We should blame Catholics who invariably worshipping idols as our separated brethren will always say. 5. We are to blame our separated brethren. 6. We are to blame fallen Christians who are not pagans. 7. We are to blame politicians. There are many to be blamed, the list may be infinite if we continue.

In all from the list above, all of us mentioned and not mentioned are to be blamed except Christ who entered Jerusalem to save us through his death. We have contributed in one way or the other to his death. We are only to imitate Peter and come back to him. Even when he was on the cross, he continued his good work of forgiveness, and he is still doing that today. We should not end up like Judas Iscariot who did not give himself the chance of repentance rather we should refrain from our sinful ways and live. Blaming people will never do us good, blaming ourselves also will not do us good rather, coming back to him like Peter and other apostles that ran away when he was caught. Adam mere njo, anyi n’ ata ya uta, mana anyi n’ eme njo, onye ga ata anyi uta? THANKS AND HAPPY GOOD FRIDAY.