Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion Lectionary: 40

Lectionary: 40

Though he was harshly treated, he submitted and opened not his mouth; like a lamb led to the slaughter or a sheep before the shearers, he was silent and opened not his mouth.

Because John the Baptist recognized and proclaimed Jesus as the Lamb of God, and because the priest echoes his declamation during every Mass, "Behold the Lamb of God...." Catholics readily understand biblical references to Jesus, the sacrificial lamb. 

The symbol first appears in Genesis when the younger brother's blood is spilled on the ground and cries to heaven for revenge. Though Abel was a shepherd and not a sheep, and his blood was not lamb's blood, he is like Jesus, a victim. 

When Abraham's Isaac is spared, another bovine (a ram) is sacrificed. A pastoral society deals in rams, ewes, sheep, goats, kids, and lambs; their heroes are shepherds, not warriors. Where Americans sacrifice money, they donate sheep to the temple, especially succulent young lambs.  

We find many references to the lamb of sacrifice in the Five Books of Moses and the psalms, and especially the Book of Revelation, which describes Jesus as the Lamb almost thirty times.

For all that, however, Jesus is no more ready to call himself a victim than he is God or the Messiah. In fact, despite the Baptist's cry, he insisted, 

"No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father." (John 10:18)

When many Americans want to be known as victims of racism, sexism, ageism, homophobia, transphobia, antisemitism, xenophobia, or any of their "reverses," (white-hatred, man-hatred, wealth-hatred) they might be surprised that our most popular hero refuses the title. He often calls himself the Son of Man, but sidesteps Messiah, Lord, God, and victim. 

Saint John's Passion Narrative, heard on Good Friday, makes a point of that. When "a band of soldiers and guards from the chief priests and the Pharisees "went to arrest Jesus with lanterns, torches, and weapons," they were held at bay. They could not lay a hand upon him until the unarmed man was ready to go with them. 

Jesus, knowing everything that was going to happen to him, 

went out and said to them, “For whom are you looking?”

They answered him, “Jesus the Nazorean.”

He said to them, “I AM.”

they turned away and fell to the ground.

So he again asked them,

“For whom are you looking?”

They said, “Jesus the Nazorean.”

Jesus answered,

“I told you that I AM.

So if you are looking for me, let these men go.”

....So the band of soldiers, the tribune, and the Jewish guards seized Jesus,

bound him, and brought him to Annas first. 

He stood as coolly before Annas, Caiphas, and Pontius Pilate as he did before the mob. These people who had no power except that which was given them from above, questioned him, 

Are you the King of the Jews?”

Jesus answered,

“Do you say this on your own 

or have others told you about me?”

Pilate answered,

“I am not a Jew, am I?

Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me.

What have you done?”

Jesus answered,

“My kingdom does not belong to this world.

If my kingdom did belong to this world, 

my attendants would be fighting 

to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.

But as it is, my kingdom is not here.”

So Pilate said to him,

“Then you are a king?”

Jesus answered,

“You say I am a king.

For this I was born and for this I came into the world, 

to testify to the truth.

Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” 

 

Finally, as he hung upon a cross, "aware that everything was now finished," he said,

“It is finished.”

And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit. 

And then Saint John reminds us that Jesus died like a victim, like a lamb of sacrifice, 

"this happened so that the Scripture passage might be fulfilled: 'Not a bone of it will be broken.'"

We must understand that Jesus is neither a victim nor a madman who commits "suicide by cop;" he is the priest who offers himself as a sacrifice for sins, as the Letter to the Hebrews explains, 

But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation, he entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. Hebrews 9:11-15

As the priest, Jesus presides over the ceremony, deciding what will happen and when. He and his witless tormentors follow the rite his Father planned, but he alone knows the hour when everything must happen. 

People who believe they are victims should study this text and learn from his Holy Spirit. Without divine guidance, victims become tormentors, and tormentors become rescuers, who become victims again. Stephen Karpman described the cycle over forty years ago. There's neither grace nor virtue in that. 

When victims become priests in the Spirit of Jesus they are given the authority to decide what to do, and when. They give the love they choose to give, and receive the love they are willing to receive. They refuse the love they cannot accept, and offer only the love they can. As priests, they are never martyrs unless they are witnessing the love of God. And they can take no for an answer because they're free. 

They can cooperate with another's plan or schedule but they choose to do so, without coercion, guilt, or shame. Even their greatest sacrifices are freely chosen as they follow the path of the witnesses (martyrs) who give their lives for Christ. 

On Good Friday Christians celebrate the freedom of the Christ, a freedom given to every witness of his life, death, and resurrection; of everyone who has been with him since the beginning; and is willing to take up their cross to follow in his steps.