Good Friday Meditation

MEDITATION FOR GOOD FRIDAY

ON THE DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST

1st Point. Jesus died: who will fear death? Having died for us, who will refuse to die for him? In his death he was consumed with grief: who will desire to die without suffering? By his death he redeemed us: who will serve any other master? He died for our sins: who will not endeavour to destroy and overcome sin?

Oh Good Shepherd! thou hast given thy life for thy sheep. Oh High Priest of the New Law! truly hast thou immolated thyself for the salvation of thy people. Oh divine Lord! thou hast, indeed, taught us from the cross how great an evil sin is, since it caused thee to die; and how infinite a good is that heaven, which cost the life of the Son of God.

2nd Point. Children of men, will you be always ungrateful, always blind? Do you know the price that was paid for you? Do you know what you owe? You owe your life to the Son of God, who has given his for you. What injustice, then, to give it to the world, the flesh, and the devil, which are your most deadly enemies. Did the enemy of souls die for you? Did the prince of this world and concupiscence shed their blood for you? Have they ever done you good? Can they ever do you good? Can they love you? Have they a heaven to offer you? My brethren, you belong, not to yourselves, but to him who, in dying for you, paid an infinite price for your salvation.

3rd Point. Oh, Jesus my Saviour, let me die with thee, for thee, and like thee. I forgive all my enemies, and hope humbly thou wilt be favourable to me; accept my desires, and graciously give me admittance into Paradise, as thou didst the penitent thief. I declare myself a child and servant of thy holy Mother. Recommend me to her as thou didst thy beloved disciple, and desire her to take care of me at the hour of my death. And I implore thee, oh blessed Jesus, by the abandonment on the cross, do not leave me when all the world abandons me. Sustain my spirit by thy grace when the strength of my body fails. Give me a great thirst and desire for Paradise. Cast thy eyes on the poor victim, who is consumed with grief and suffering.

Oh my Father, I abandon my spirit to thee; I unite my last hour to that of thy divine Son. I wish to honour thee by the sacrifice of my life. I accept death, in acknowledgement of all the blessings I have received from thee; I accept it to satisfy thy justice, which I have so often irritated; I accept it willingly, as an expression of my love and obedience; I accept it that I may enjoy the bliss of possessing and beholding thee; I accept it, finally, to honour thy Son and his most holy Mother, and to drink the same chalice which they have drained.

WORDS OF SCRIPTURE

"And bowing his head, he gave up the ghost." -- St. John, xix.
"The just perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart." -- Isaias, lvii.
"For why did Christ die for the ungodly?" -- Romans, v.
"Christ died for us." -- Ibid.
"For to this end Christ died and rose again, that he might be Lord both of the living and the dead." -- Romans, xiv.
"For you are dead; and your life is hidden with Christ in God." -- Colossians, iii.