THE GREATEST TRIAL.

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April 10 2020: Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion - A

READINGS: IS 52:13—53:12; PS 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25; HEB 4:14-16; 5:7-9; JN 18:1—19:42.
A British proverb says, “Truth fears no trial.” And a Ghanaian proverb adds, “The cockroach cannot be innocent in a court where the hen is the judge.”
The world, from ever to ever, has known only one trial that all could agree to call the greatest of all trials. First, this trial was unique because it took place in three different courts: it began at the Sanhedrin, continued at Herod's palace and ended at Pilate's palace. Second, this trial was great because it was a trial that opposed truth against lie. And finally, it was an incredible trial because, although having no evidence, the verdict was unique and without appeal, the truth had to die for the lie to prevail. The righteous has been sentenced to death so that sinners may live.
What has happened on that very day is the sad fate in which humanity has always closed itself. We always open prosecutions between good and evil, truth and falsehood, and accuse and condemn the good and truth to perish.
On this day, the fate of our humanity is being written: “it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people…” (Jn 11:50). And so, it will happen, Jesus will die for us all. What then was his crime? Simply for having had the courage to speak the truth: “For this, I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” But then, what is that truth? The truth is not something to search for, but rather, someone to know, to love and to believe in. The truth is Jesus himself: “I am the truth” (Jn 14:6).
Today’s first reading tells us that, in a world erected on so many falsehoods and fake news, the truth must suffer if it wants to be heard. Isaiah sings the song of the suffering Servant of the Lord. He is given up as an expiatory sacrifice for the sins of all. So, it is with the truth in our day to day life. The truth is sacrificed, “so marred was his look beyond human semblance…” In our today’s world, the truth has no image to be looked at. It is disfigured, not believed, hated, rejected. Many people choose willingly to live in their own way, away from what is right and true. Sin has become the most common and normal thing. Corruption, prostitution, human trafficking, murder and extrajudicial killing, abortion, pornography, pedophilia, homosexuality, fornication, egoism, and the list could be endless of the trials we open against truth and in which we give reason to falsehood. Sadly, the truth carries all the burdens of our weak humanity and dies for our sins, says the author of the letter to the Hebrews. Jesus is that truth who dies for sinners.
Today, the Lord Jesus dies for you and me, the righteous for the unjust, the sinless for sinners in a trial he did not deserve. Nevertheless, he humbly accepts it. Because that is the price he has to pay if he wants us to live.
Brethren, even today, the trial that saw the death of Jesus is still ongoing. We are still perpetuating the prosecution in which Christ, though innocent, for Pilate says, “I find no guilt in him,” is condemned to suffer and die, a death penalty to spare sinners’ life. Up to these days, Christ Jesus is still dying under many innocents’ people our societies send to physical, psychological and spiritual death. Jesus dies when politicians and lawmakers pass bills that deprive the rights of the defenseless and poor people. Jesus dies when the rich expropriate the less fortunate from the little that they have. Jesus dies in our hospitals where patients are abandoned because of having no money for the bills. Jesus dies in our streets with the homeless and marginalized. Jesus dies in our churches when we, preachers, swap the gospel for money and material possessions. Jesus dies when people live no longer for others, but imprisoned in selfishness and narcissism. Jesus dies, he dies and he dies when we do what we are not supposed to do and do not care about the consequences. The biggest trial is a trial still ongoing; the agony continues. And unfortunately, day after day, the Way of the Cross becomes a continuous path to the cross for many people. Let us hope for a better future, a resurrection from our death to sin.

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