Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion

I think all of us can say, as one of those who were crucified with him: "Our pain is just, because we are sinners, but He has not done anything wrong," (Luke 23.41). 

What is most painful about the death of Christ is this: it is the death of an innocent, and that white innocence of Christ's soul makes His blood even more scarlet. All crime is horrendous, but none more so, than that which attacks the innocence and Christ is innocent. 

All crime is horrendous, but especially against those who hurt the ones who have only learned to love. Love is what Christ gave. His words gave only blessings and miracles, peace, mercy and compassion.

His feet were always quick searching for the lost sheep, the sheep-that is each one of us- He defended us with His prayers, watched over us, shed tears of sorrow for our sins and wanted, with all His might, to  be surrounded by love. This is precisely why it hurts so much, the death of Christ, because He surrounded us with love, what have  we have surrounded Him with pain, it hurts to see those hands that blessed so many sick, pierced by nails, it hurts a lot to see that body, the true temple of purity, torn by  lashes. 

That head full of dignity, pierced with thorns, His mouth gave us many words of comfort, but  now could not even get a cup of cold water, because when He asked for something to quench His thirst, vinegar was what He received. 

All this is surrounded by pain for Christ, all around us is confusion for us, because we know well that all these things Christ suffered, were for the sins of the world. 

He knew what would happen to Him when He was in the Garden  praying, crying out in pain and fear and sweating blood, He says to  His father, God: "If you can, take from me this chalice, but not what I will, but what thou wilt "Luke 22:42. 

That is the reason why we as a church today, why we turn our eyes to the dull eyes of the dead Christ on the cross, and say with our  soul: "Thank you, because at the time of my sin, you do not turn away, Lord, I walked away from you, I have been away from you many times. " 

"We've gotten away from you, we have departed from you, we've done what is displeasing to you, you told us to love God above all things, and we have ignored you." 

You asked that we respect your Holy Name, and we have ignored you, let us reserve this time, this sacred holiday time to rest from our work and to sanctify the delight of meditation on your marvels. We have not done this, you, Lord, asked us to make the family a sanctuary of love and respect, and we have not done that.”

"You asked that we respect life, and commanded us not to kill and we have  filled with death and blood our land, the soil has been used for suffering from the blood of many who have fallen."

"We killed the innocent, we have claimed the lives of innocents, even those unborn, and millions of abortions have been committed in our land, you commission us, Lord, you have asked us to keep the purity of our bodies created in your own body image, and we have not done that. " 

"We are commanded to respect the property of others and never lie, and that's not what we have done. We have sinned, Lord.  We have turned our backs on you, we fled from you, we've gotten away from you, but you have not abandoned us, and that sovereign patience of yours, that is what is evident beyond any doubt, the incomparable love you have for us. " 

So brothers and sisters, the word most important and the word most beautiful is this Good Friday, the word we have to say is the word: "Thank you, thank you, Lord, because you have shown love, because from now on we know the meaning of  the word love. "

Love is not just a nice word when passions are running throughout the body, love is not a word to deceive a man or a woman, love is not a word to disguise our selfishness, and to use other people for our own benefit. 

Love, what is said to be love, true love, that's what you have done for us, Jesus Christ. In loving, you have loved us, we have seen in you love, we have found you, you gave your love with peace, with gentleness, with mercy, you really have loved us, Lord. 

It is a flood of love that you have given us, it  is a downpour of love that falls from your heart, truly, sir, in that water and blood that has left your side in these rivers of love, we need to bathe ourselves. 

Lord God, we wash in the rivers of your love you let you water and blood came forward, you have washed us with water renewing the grace of baptism in our people, washed in the blood, renewed forgiveness and reconciliation of our people, wash us Lord.

Blessed Blood of Christ, Holy Blood of Christ, that which is red, makes white the human soul, holy blood, which turns darkness into be brightness and it illuminates the human soul;  Jesus, that is the blood we need, the Blood that was shed by hatred and was given up  in love  They took your blood with hatred, but you gave your blood with love. 

Jesus, on behalf of all these, my brethren, I a sinner like them, I say, "Thank you, Lord, for that Blood, thanks for the love, thanks for the patience that comes upon us by thy redeeming blood, come on us like rivers of mercy and your love keeps goes on, Lord.  For this assembly, clean our conscience, loosen our chains; free us, Lord, from our past sins.

I ask you, Lord Jesus, that if there is someone in this assembly who feels a desire for revenge or who has done evil, I pray for mercy, by the power of your blood, to release that feeling of revenge, if anyone is thinking about shedding blood, I ask you, Lord, by the power of your blood, to take away this feeling. 

If anyone, O Lord, who is living in sin, who is living their lives by offending  you, perhaps because he lives for the crime, because he lives with crimes, perhaps because they live a lie, perhaps because he lives to hurt others. 

Now you can say with determination: "Today I let go of my old sin, now I leave my life of sin. Today I understand that God loves me, today I turn to you, and I embrace you." That is the power of the Cross. 

I'm sure many of you right now are feeling the sweetness of the love of Christ which is being poured into your hearts, because it was for us and for our salvation that Christ embraced the extreme suffering to its end on the cross. 

Lord Jesus, today we have seen your death, your cross we have seen today, today we have seen your tears, today we saw your Blood, today we have seen your love.

Therefore Jesus Christ, together, because your love gathers us together, I want to say: "Thank you Jesus, thank you for that love, thank you for those tears, thanks for the Blood, thanks for the cross, thank you for your death, because your death has given us life that never ends.

Blessed be Jesus, blessed and loved be Jesus, blessed Jesus, loved and adored!