GOOD FRIDAY: “WHOM ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?”

Jesus, knowing everything that was going to happen to him, went out and said to them, “Whom are you looking for?”

John 18:4

Trivia for the Day:

The Scripture from the Gospel of John above is heard in every Catholic parish celebrating the Passion of the Lord on Good Friday services. It’s part of the cyclical nature of Scripture Reading in the Catholic Liturgy that there is a 3-year rotation of readings. On Palm Sunday, the Passion readings follow that cycle but on Good Friday, the Passion always comes from the Gospel of John.

My Lenten Silence

I did start this post on Ash Wednesday but for whatever reason the writing (other than a few bursts of creativity here and there) dried up during Lent.  It could be the depression but most likely it is a matter of real-life responsibilites which have led to fatigue.    However just because Lent didn’t go the way I thought and hoped it would, the Holy Spirit led me to a most productive (and needed) book for Lent.

“Give Up Worry for Lent” by Gary Zimak

A few weeks before Lent, I started trying to figure out what Lent should be about this year. As I suffer from depression and lack of focus at times due to it, I kept wandering from place to place.  Did I want to do the same (and very helpful) Lenten program from Dynamic Catholic “The Best Lent Ever” or did I want something else?

We celebrated Confirmation for our 5 eighth-graders at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Chains on Sunday March 3 and Bishop Joseph Binzer gave the candidates (and those of us in the pews) an excellent homily which paid tribute to the late Father Jim Willig who said in the midst of his suffering from cancer, “I don’t know what my future holds but I know WHO holds my future.”

Father Paul our priest at Holy Name who has been excellent at spiritual direction purchased the “Little Black Book” for Lent for the entire parish.  I got to “sketching Lenten plans” in the front on Sunday or early Monday.  What I was left with was a confusing jumble of basically “self-improvement” tips.  But one struck me in particular that I scribbled: “TRUST MORE, WORRY LESS.” And yes, we should always keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus.

So in his gift of counsel, Father Paul provided me with a helpful reflection to lead into Lent by looking at the Tuesday Mass reading from the Book of Sirach 35: 1-12. If you don’t have a “Catholic” Bible, check to see if you have apocryphal books at the end of your Bible. There are 66 books in the King James Version of the Bible; 72, sometimes 73 depending on how it’s broken up, in the Catholic Bible. These books were found only written in Greek not in Hebrew but are part of the Canonical Books decided upon by the 5th century.

Sirach 35: 1-12

To keep the law is a great oblation,
and he who observes the
commandments sacrifices a peace offering.
In works of charity one offers fine flour,
and when he gives alms he presents his sacrifice of praise.
To refrain from evil pleases the LORD,
and to avoid injustice is an atonement.
Appear not before the LORD empty-handed,
for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the precepts.
The just one’s offering enriches the altar
and rises as a sweet odor before the Most High.
The just one’s sacrifice is most pleasing,
nor will it ever be forgotten.
In a generous spirit pay homage to the LORD,
be not sparing of freewill gifts.
With each contribution show a cheerful countenance,
and pay your tithes in a spirit of joy.
Give to the Most High as he has given to you,
generously, according to your means.

For the LORD is one who always repays,
and he will give back to you sevenfold.
But offer no bribes, these he does not accept!
Trust not in sacrifice of the fruits of extortion.
For he is a God of justice,
who knows no favorites.eep the law is a great oblation,
and he who observes the
commandments sacrifices a peace offering.
In works of charity one offers fine flour,
and when he gives alms he presents his sacrifice of praise.
To refrain from evil pleases the LORD,
and to avoid injustice is an atonement.
Appear not before the LORD empty-handed,
for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the precepts.
The just one’s offering enriches the altar
and rises as a sweet odor before the Most High.
The just one’s sacrifice is most pleasing,
nor will it ever be forgotten.
In a generous spirit pay homage to the LORD,
be not sparing of freewill gifts.
With each contribution show a cheerful countenance,
and pay your tithes in a spirit of joy.
Give to the Most High as he has given to you,
generously, according to your means.

For the LORD is one who always repays,
and he will give back to you sevenfold.
But offer no bribes, these he does not accept!
Trust not in sacrifice of the fruits of extortion.
For he is a God of justice,
who knows no favorites.

 

So maybe, more than an endless Lenten to-do list, I needed to go deeper.  Providentially I found a new book Give Up Worry for Lent” by Gary Zimak which on Ash Wednesday reminded us with the Scripture “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)  This Scripture gave me great comfort Ash Wednesday before Mass so thank you Mr. Zimak and Sacred Heart Radio (740 AM Cincinnati) for sharing this book. I guess I just needed the Holy Spirit to remind me that yes, true rest (true peace) is only found in Our Savior Jesus Christ. So who better to seek everyday than Christ? And who better to give us rest than Jesus?

So in the end, maybe this silence during Lent hasn’t been a bad thing. I’ve highlighted so many passages in Mr. Zimak’s books on my Kindle app that I couldn’t begin to post them all here and finish tonight.

So since it’s Good Friday, I’ll end with a question we should all ask ourselves: “Whom are you looking for?”

Whom Are You Looking For?

I paid extra attention to this question as Father Paul read it during the Liturgy of the Word.  The guards with Judas were looking for Jesus to arrest him, King Herod was looking for Jesus to perform a miracle, Pontius Pilate was looking at Jesus to ponder what truth was.  So whom are you, whoever you may be reading this, wherever you are in life, looking for? Are you even looking for a Savior to begin with?

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York was on the Fox & Friends program this morning talking about Good Friday and happily I caught the segment.  He pointed out in talking about the Notre Dame Cathedral fire in Paris on Monday of this Holy Week that we’re all “hard wired for the Divine.” Sometimes it takes something tragic like the fire to wake us up. When I saw the cathedral, a place I’ve dreamed of visiting most of my adult life, in flames my first thought was a prayer that the Crown of Thorns was saved. In the aftermath of news and pictures coming out it was evident that we had globally experienced the power of Jesus Christ in how much was saved at a moment many of us thought all was lost.

Monday was a preview of what Good Friday is all about.

At that moment all must have seemed lost to the Blessed Mother and the disciples as Jesus said, “It is finished” and gave up his spirit. Yet as the Blessed Mother, the Apostles, Mary Magdalene and many others soon learned, all was not lost. Jesus Christ, Son of God, who shed His Precious Blood to take away our sins, rose triumphantly from the empty tomb, opening the gates of Heaven and taking away Death’s sting.

There is so much more than what we can see with our limited human eyes. Don’t be afraid to seek Him out.  Look for Him and He will never ever let you go.