Daily Gospel Reflection for April 2, 2021

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Today's Gospel: Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion - John 18:1—19:42

Today I feel suffering and joy. Is it weird to think of the word joy today? We’re saving it, right? Shut away until Saturday’s Vigil, or Easter morning. But there is a thread of silent joy as we retrospectively look upon Christ’s Passion. We can’t fully embrace joy today, but we carry it within us. Part of today’s psalm that is not spoken says, “I will rejoice and be glad in your mercy” (Ps 31:8). We look upon Christ, bruised and bleeding, whose mercy for us brought him to this point because our God has seen our affliction and has responded. As much as it pains us to read and picture how Jesus was treated, His suffering was for our own joy.

Christ’s passion was for our salvation. His whole life on earth was a culmination to this point of death - even death on a cross. For though He was God, “he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him” (Heb 5:8-9.)

Today we recognize that gift of eternal salvation. Without His passion we would not be restored to relationship with God. We carry a joy in us not about His suffering, but that He accepted in obedience the suffering for our sake, for our salvation. Imagine what God can do with our obedience! It can be hard to be obedient to those who are our shepherds and yet no matter how much we may dislike one, there is little that gives us the right to disobey them, unless it is a moral evil. Our participation is in the same obedience that Christ has to His Father - it challenges us and gives glory to God. This is our joyful salvation at work.

Ponder:

How have I let pride guide me instead of obedience? Where do I need to ask God for a more humble heart?

Pray:

Lord, help us to take up the challenge of obedience like You, Whose example today shows us that we need to lean into the pains of that crucifixion, for by Your cross and resurrection we have been saved.