Today is Good Friday. On this day Christ was crucified. There is no Sacrament of the Eucharist in the Liturgy of this day. We began with 14 Stations of the Way of the Cross. The Stations of the Cross represent the Passion of Christ - from Christ's condemnation to death to His burial. Then there was the reading of Scripture, the adoration of the Cross. And finally, the vigil at the Tomb of Jesus Christ.
And carrying His cross, He went out to a place called the Frontal Table, Golgotha in Hebrew; and there they crucified Him and two others with Him, on the one side and on the other, and Jesus in the middle. Pilate also wrote an inscription, and set it on the cross. It was written, "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." This inscription was read by many of the Jews, because the place where Jesus was crucified was not far from the city, and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Roman. But the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'King of the Jews,' but that He said, 'I am the King of the Jews.'" Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written.
But when they had crucified Jesus, the soldiers took his garments and divided them into four parts, each soldier a part, and the chiton; and the chiton was not sewn, but was all woven from above. So they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be," so that the Scripture may be fulfilled, "They divided my garments among themselves, and cast lots for my clothes.
His mother and his mother's sister, Mary Cleopas and Mary Magdalene, stood at the cross of Jesus. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple standing there, whom he loved, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son. Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother! And from that time this disciple took Her to himself.
Then Jesus, knowing that everything had been accomplished, so that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst. There was a vessel full of vinegar. The soldiers, having poured vinegar on a sponge and put it on hyssop, brought it to His mouth. When Jesus had tasted the vinegar, he said, "It is finished! And he bowed his head and gave up the spirit.
But since it was Friday, the Jews, in order not to leave their bodies on the cross on the Sabbath, for that Sabbath was a great day, asked Pilate to break their shins and take them off. So the soldiers came, and they broke the shins of the first, and of the other who was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, when they saw Him already dead, they did not break His shins; but one of the soldiers pierced His ribs with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. And he who saw testified, and his testimony is true; he knows that he speaks the truth, that you may believe. For these things happened, that the Scripture may be fulfilled, "Let not his bone be broken." Also in another place the Scripture says, "they shall look upon him whom they pierced." (Jn 19, 7-42)
The Lord has given from the cross to every person of all time His immeasurable love.
The death of Jesus is described in this passage simply and unadorned. This description was left by St. John the Evangelist, who himself was there, saw and heard everything, so he is a true participant, an eyewitness of this event. But what did this apostle, Jesus' favorite disciple, actually see? Apart from the external aspect of the events, he was able to grasp their deepest meaning, which was the immense love of God for all mankind. This love is for all: for the mother and the beloved Son, for the robber and the prostitute at the cross... This love has no limits. It does not have to be earned or won. The Lord has given from the cross to every person of all times His immeasurable love. This is why today should be a day of thanksgiving and praise for us: no one has ever loved you and will never love you as He has loved you.
