Good Friday Homily

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Homily for Good Friday 2016
(Scriptures for today's liturgy)

Audio for homily

When I stand at the foot of the Cross,

            under the wings of his outstretched arms,

dare I look up into the eyes of him

            who loved me this much?

When I stand at the foot of the Cross,

            do I hide in its shadow,

lest I see how my sins

            pinned him to his tree of suffering?

When I stand at the foot of the Cross,

            and drops of his blood caress my cheeks,

do I feel the rain of mercy

            he showers down upon me?

When I stand at the foot of the Cross,

            what do I see?

            what do I try not to see?

            what am I afraid to see?

And do I see how, from the Cross,

            he sees me and looks upon me

            with love in his eyes?

When I stand at the foot of the Cross,

            what do I pray?

Does my heart find the words I want to say?

            the words I need to say?

Do my lips find the courage to speak

            my  need for his mercy,

            my desire for his pardon,

            my hope for his forgiveness?

When I stand at the foot of the Cross,

            do I see in his tired body

            the strength I need to live the truth?

Do I see in his blood

            the life for which I thirst?

Do I hear in his last gasp

            my first breath of hope for life for ever?

When I stand at the foot of the Cross,

            do I see all those gathered there with me?

Do I see sinners like myself and even saints

            who need him just as much as I do?

Do I see all humankind of every race and time

            standing with me,  me with them,

all of us in this war-torn, terrorized world

all of us one in our hunger and thirst

            for the love and mercy

offered in the Body and Blood of Jesus:

            our Brother, our Lord, our Savior?             

When I stand at the foot of the Cross,

            do I look up and turn my face to his?

Do I let his eyes meet mine and come to know

            in the depths of who I am

            that I am loved,

            I am forgiven,

            I am saved,

            I am redeemed?

Tonight, we stand together

            at the foot of the Cross.

We look upon Jesus, the Lamb of God,

            our Passover and our lasting peace.

We gaze on Jesus

            who takes away our sins,

            who takes away the sins of the world,

            who gives us peace,

This night, we stand at the foot of your Cross, O Lord,

            in the shadow of your wings.

Help us look into your eyes.

Gather us together in your outstretched arms:

            you who loved us unto death

                        with the gift of your life,

            you who love us even now

                        with an everlasting love

            that we might live with you forever

                        in everlasting peace.

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