Good Friday-April 3, 2026

Prayer of the Day
Almighty God, look with loving mercy on your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, to be given over to the hands of sinners, and to suffer death on the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Homily
Jesus’ accusers hope that labelling him a king would justify a charge of treason against him and seal his fate. In the short run, it works. Even some in the crowds declare they have no king but Caesar. God alone knows what would motivate some to pledge such allegiance out loud and in public.

Jesus reframes the accusations against him by saying his ‘kingdom’ if there is such a thing isn’t the sort this world could establish. Jesus might use the words ‘king’ and ‘kingdom’ but not in the way his accusers do—nor in the way some in the crowds do.

If Jesus is a king, he’s the sort who befriends those who are considered outcasts and losers. Sometimes he heals people. This king socializes with the so called riff-raff This king confronts injustice, and critiques unjust systems. This king washes feet. This king feeds even those who he knows will turn him over to be arrested and those who flee out of fear—for good reason. This king prays for his people and weeps on their behalf. This king loves the people—to the very end.

Where does it all end? Those who study John’s Gospel closely would say that as brutal as Good Friday is, that’s not the end. Even the resurrection isn’t quite the end. The ascension isn’t even the end; not entirely. Near the beginning of John’s Gospel we get a hint at the end….that God’s passionate love for the world would bring about saving it—

Admittedly we could use some saving and the saving seems far off. Newly declared wars, human rights violations, innocent deaths carry all the marks of Good Friday. Protests across Canada and the US demonstrate we’ve about had it with kings and tyrants. As people who know all about Good Friday we live in the hope of Easter. We hold fast to John’s testimony that this king Jesus loves us and the whole world right to the very end. Amen.