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Gospel Reading for April 03, 2026 – John 18: 1-19, 42
NEVER AGAIN
Today, Catholic Churches all over the world will celebrate Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion. The priests will be wearing red vestments, the liturgical color for martyrs, and the very long Passion Narrative will resound all over the world.
From the Passion Narrative, there will obviously be two teams: TEAM CRUCIFY HIM and TEAM EVER LOYAL.
TEAM CRUCIFY HIM – a very noisy crowd shouting, “Crucify him!” and so eager to condemn and seal the death sentence on Jesus, even when many of them were recipients of Jesus’ teachings that gave them hope and of his works which restored their health.
TEAM EVER LOYAL – a small group led by Mary, silently weeping for Jesus and remaining faithful to him up to the end.
When we look at the way we lead our lives, at the way we respond to issues on violence, hunger, and the degradation of human society, on which team are we? We may call ourselves Christians, baptized and all—but are we, really? What choices do we make in life? Are they against or are they for Christ?
God, in His infinite wisdom, chose Jesus to die before the Passover Feast. This is very symbolic because the Jewish Feast of the Passover (Pesach) is a major celebration when the Jews commemorate God’s deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Yet, that deliverance was just a prefiguration of the best things to come. During Jesus’ time, they were even under Roman rule. God, however, always ensures that his plans are fulfilled in their perfect time and brought to completion. He sent His Son, Jesus, for the FINAL and LAST ACT OF DELIVERANCE—deliverance from mankind’s slavery to sin. Never again will mankind be in the crutches of the evil one. NEVER AGAIN.
We Filipinos have the expression, “mukhang Biyernes Santo,” because we have become accustomed to seeing Good Friday as a day of mourning. Indeed, it is a day of mourning because of the suffering and death Jesus had to endure. But it is also a day of quiet rejoicing because of the promise Jesus Himself made: “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised” (Luke 9:22–25).
Without Good Friday, there would be no Easter Sunday!
As we reflect on Christ’s Passion and Death, in which team do we truly belong?
