Good Friday English Worship Online Service 10th April 2020 All Saint's Cathedral Nagpur

I welcome you all for the Good Friday online worship service of the All Saints Cathedral he was oppressed and He was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth he was led as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before it's Shearer's is silent so he opened not his mouth now we have the opening prayer by Reverend Alan Michael Potter as we gather together today we remember the supreme sacrifice of our beautiful King the Lord Jesus Christ they like a lamb to the slaughter clothed in humanity unless he willingly offered himself to death so that we might live forever
we are truly thankful for the extent of his love straight out on accrual wouldn't cross the grill on the pain he bought for us and are truly grateful for the forgiveness that he offers as we worship and praise now help us to be in the wonder his goodness and marvel at his endless grace almonds you the first reading is taken from the Gospel according to st. Luke chapter 23 verses 26 to 34 Luke 23 26 to 34 as they led him away they seized Simon from Cyrene II
who was on his way in from the nation and put the cross on him and made him convey it behind Jesus an enormous number of individuals tailed him including ladies who grieved and howled for him Jesus turned and said to the daughters of Jerusalem do not weep for me weep for yourselves and your children for the time will come when you will say blessed are the barren
women the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never sinned worst then they will say to the mountains fall on us and to the hills cover us for if men do these things when the tree is green what will happen when it is dry to other men both criminals were also led out "with him to be executed when they went to the spot called the skull there they killed him
alongside the lawbreakers one on his privilege the other on his"left Jesus said Father excuse them for they don't have a clue what they are doing and they partitioned his garments by making bets this is the expression of the Lord Thanks be to God greetings again let us meditate upon the first word that Jesus uttered from the cross which is found in Saint Luke chapter 23 verse 34 then Jesus said Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing father forgive them father forgive them
but they, not they do not know what they are doing it's a very long passage and the whole narration also you know in what occasion or what circumstances Jesus said to this there was a crowd around the cross and there were already two people also crucified along with Jesus they were piecing Jesus saying that if you're a god where you're hanging if you are a messiah you save yourself first before you save us lots of teasing mocking took place overhead one of them be persons who were crucified with Jesus also join the group and saying the
at yes, he had a Messiah Savior so fast but the other one responding to the first one saying well friend we deserve this because of our wrongdoing but Jesus doesn't so better keep yourself off

Good Friday English Worship Online Service 10th April 2020 All Saint's

I don't want to explain further this context directly let us go into the message Father forgive them Jesus prays to the priesthood father to forgive the people who are doing wrong to Jesus what is forgiveness comes from God by God's grace and mercy which makes the person feel free sometimes it
happens when a person that repents for his wrong or her wrongdoings mistakes but when they miss the mark God recognizes and forgives what happens here is once God forgives means God forgets everything God never keeps interfering anything in his mind I'm taking vengeance against that person again but according to our law jurisprudence punishment is forgiveness
I mean forgiveness is the topmost punishment it's not the capital punishment or a life sentence but it is forgiveness at once that the person is forgiven the person has got a freed status here what happens Jesus as a person who was victimized or who is a victim praying for the freedom or the redemption of the people who victimized him that's the
Christian model which we are expected to follow we pray or we are expected to pray for the people who are doing wrong to us who victimize us who oppress us the classical example that we could see from the Mandela's life Nelson Mandela the president former president of South Africa as we all know that in South Africa the black wave struggle the black bear appetite by the rights and they were rolling
South Africa for years blacks fought for it even Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years the struggle got over blacks won and was about to form the government dev Nelson Mandela said the weights are no longer our enemies we will work together to make our nation better is it not a Christian model that we see in Mandela's life the weights that are pressing
g but I the blacks and the blacks come to power to rule the nation Monday law review immediately taken against the people who put him in prison but he said let us forgive let us reconcile with each other come let us work together that's the kingdom of God which Jesus intended him to establish in this verse friends what about us how do we find the forgiveness in our lives in our future are we praying for the people who are doing ranged things against
t us are we praying for people who considered us as their enemies are we praying for the people who are oppressing us victimizing us how are we going to handle it just would like to share a story there were two friends were walking on the desert both had a very heated argument at once I mean immediately one got angry and slapped the another the person was completely broken because he was considering emesis this friend he said quickly on

Good Friday English Worship Online Service 10th April 2020 All Saint's

the sand and started writing today my best friend slapped me then both got Rockin slightly sudden they started taking their journey further and they found an oasis where they stopped to have water, unfortunately, the one who got slap started drowning into the water so the one who slapped captain to come out, in fact, saved his life so the one who got slapped and drowned into water Yonkers
Donna stone saying that my best friend saved my life so the friend who slapped and saved him asked when I slapped you you wrote on a science but when I helped you you Ian carved on the rock what is the reason he said bad things ought to be forgiven not
forgotten and the best things are to be remembered for years so I wanted to forget that you have slapped me that's why I wrote on the sand but I don't want to forget that you have helped me that's why I am called on a rock this is exactly the godly attitude to God never forgets the past of any of our missed rings and wrongdoings and mistakes friends let us seek God to forgive us for our mistakes against God against the earth against our neighborhood let us also you and forget the mistakes of others who we think that they are our enemies and thirdly it is in curved our faith on a rock say that God forgives me and I am forgiven by God Father forgive them

I mean the second reading is taken from the Gospel of st. Luke chapter 23 verses thirty-five to forty-three and the people stood beholding and the rulers also with them derided him saying he saved others let him save himself if he Christ the chosen of God and the soldiers also mocked him coming to him and offering him vinegar and saying if thou be the King of the Jews st. I self and a superscription also were written over him in letters of Greek and Latin and Hebrew this is the King of the
Jews and one of the "primary variables which were hanged railed on him saying if thou be Christ spare thyself and us, however, the other noting censured him saying doesn't thou dread God seeing" thou art in the same condemnation and we indeed justified for we receive the due reward of our deeds but this man had done nothing amiss and he said unto "Jesus Lord recall me when thou comest into thy realm and Jesus said unto Him verily I state unto thee today thou shalt be with me in heaven this is" the world of the second word from the cross for our meditation let us read the Gospel according to st. Luke chapter 23 verse 42 and 43 then he said Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom he replied truly I tell you today you
will be with me in paradise Jesus replied truly I tell you today you will be with me in paradise this was an assurance given to the co Crucifier who was favoring Jesus in the earlier conversation as we have seen he was telling please remember me in your kingdom then immediately Jesus replied saying that definitely will be with me in paradise there are two things one is the kingdom the other one is paradise as we all know Jesus was seen as a political
leader where he was mobilizing the rural communities and racing wise against the empires to establish this social justice this we could very well see from the Palm Sunday also the crowd which followed Jesus could not even enter into Jerusalem and the decision
was made by the alight group so Jesus was seen as a political leader that's why you know the king of Nazarene is written there on the cross and mostly the word Kingdom was used Jesus replied by saying that the paradise there is a misconception in
the Christianity that paradise is different heaven is different but if we see literally what is set this person wanted to be with Jesus if at all he forms the kingdom or wherever he is going to be and Jesus issues that saying yes definitely you will be with me very simple so let us not much worried about the word kingdom paradise coming here a person who wanted to be with
Jesus, so he prays to Jesus asking Jesus acceptance and Jesus accepts him as simple a cities where is heaven various paradise various Kingdom it's a different question altogether but the challenge before us today is mostly the Christian faith communities live for a life after death we wanted to be a good disciple

of Christ we wanted to be a good Christian or even we wanted to become a good human in order to take a place in heaven which happens only after my death the question before a sister day now is are we living in this world to have a better life after our death or before our death I just would like to remind you with a couple of Jesus saying one is the Lord's Prayer where Jesus was teaching his disciples he says your kingdom come he did not say that we will come to your kingdom what does it mean the kingdom the God's reign has
to come on yet subsequently in Matthew in other places Jesus says that the kingdom is among you and you are part of that Kingdom references and all you could just go home and go and read later the challenge today for you and I is are we going to have a lead life to have a better life after her death or before our death according to Jesus life before death is important he emphasized he emphasized
life before death, not life after death I don't know what will happen after death probably saw the Sun the same it's the one who authentically says that how was his experience apart from that
we don't have any much evidence or saying over that here how are we going to establish the reign of God the kingdom of God are we, not partners in establishing the reign of God is a challenge is one of the internal code criminals who was also crucified with Jesus asked Jesus I wanted to
be with you in your kingdom in your reign in your presence Jesus gives an assurance so wherever there is God or wherever there is godliness there is the reign of God there is the presence of God makes that surrounding godly paradise heaven kingdom of God friends as we claim ourselves as children of God country also make the reign of
God amongst us and around us where people will be happy people will have a joyous feeling people will have peace people will have justice it is all in our hands it is not the life after death but life before death according to Jesus life before death is important because during his days he gave life to several
thousand unknown untouchable unreached people even at the last moment he gave life to one of the criminals who was crucified along with him he made the surrounding a paradise how about us or our surroundings paradise to others are our surroundings heaven for others if not it is our duty Jesus made his presence felt all over the Galilee Samaria and rest of those unknown areas how about us are we making God's presence around our neighborhood where people will feel
that they will be comfortable there this word challenges us to make our surroundings a paradise where everyone can come and join us which will become a society of God which will become an inclusive society where the reign of God or the
kingdom of God is practiced or our examples shall we decided to have or establish the paradise around us with the godly nature's of affirming justice extending love and promoting peace there are people say that Lord remember me in your kingdom are we in a position to say as children of God yes you will be with us in our paradise come let us be partners in building a paradise for everyone who is in need amen

I Hey-Oh the third lesson is taken from the Gospel according to Saint John chapter 19 verses 23 to 27 John chapter 19 verses 23 onwards then the soldiers when they had crucified Jesus took his garments and made four parts to each soldier a part and also new tunic now the tunic was without seam woven from the top and one piece they said therefore among themselves let us not tear it but cast lots for it whose it shall be that the scripture might be fulfilled which saves they divided
my garments among them and for my clothing they cast lots, therefore, the soldiers did these things no they stood by the cross "of Jesus his mom and his mom's sister Mary the spouse of Clopas and Mary Magdalene when Jesus in this way observed his mom and the devotee whom he cherished remaining by" "he said to his mom lady view your child then he said to the pupil see your
mom and from that hour that devotee took her to his Bourn home" this is the gospel of Christ thanks be to Christ who we all are ready to meditate upon the third word which Jesus uttered from the cross for our meditation let us turn our Bible to st. John Gospel according to st.
John chapter 19 verses 26 and 27 I read it for you when Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her his scepter his mother woman here is your son then he said to the disciple here is your mother and from that hour the disciple took her into his own home
Jesus said to his mother woman here is your son and said to the disciple here is your mother mostly we think this was a passage of caring Kevin the eldest especially our parents I just would like to take you to ten commandments all these Ten Commandments say thou shalt not don't do it but the only one
the commandment that says understand is that do it that is hunger your parents honor your parents all other Commandments say don't do don't steal don't use God's name don't do this that and all those stuff but the only positive commandment is to this honor your parents probably this worked in Jesus and but Jesus was Sanders stress probably this also has been another worry but fortunately
from the top of the cross he saw his mother and the disciples so he asked the disciple to take care of his mother this is the incident or the occurrence that take Brett took place in Bogota under the cross at the time of crucification what are the learnings from this after my mts
I was serving in an old-age home as a project officer this whole was mainly for the destitute people abandoned people there was a nomination from one of the youngsters
from a nearby village that there was an abandoned mother who had nobody to take care please submit Karina oldest school we went for an inspection and found that the boy who came and asked for admission, unfortunately, was her son this is the reality today in most cases the world look at the people who are nobody as objects of charity suits is
not even attempted from this concept or an idea if there is nobody so immediately we wanted to extend our help by sharing some of the resources or uprooting from them from the community and put them in a hole where we started carrying them or giving care for their survival and so on the lesson what we gain from this event is the people who live in the gates of the society or the neglected ones or the marginalized ones are no longer
the objects of charity rather missional responsibility so the mission has to have a responsibility of taking care of such mods and license probably we might say that no it was Jesus mother so what after Jesus she's going to be an orphan probably her latest would have been there but we didn't earn much it occurred over and has been the other children called the relationship and so on but it was the responsibility of Jesus to see that his mother was safe or they'd be safe the second point which
we could learn from this event is the first church was established or built under the cross where the Christians take responsibility of the people who are in need that's a very interesting component one is the first one is mission should not see the mortalized once as the charity of objects instead the mission has to see this as a responsibility here the first church which was established is
the Christians taking care of the people who are in need so the church is not the existing for itself but for others we cannot just think the congregation that sits around the four walls of the All Saints Cathedral is the church our church is beyond our kupuna so the first church was built or established under the cross in gold data and third learning which they could
see is that the mission of the church has to slowly consider to practice the great commandment along with the Great Commission that we received in Matthew 28 Cetera we be giving importance to the Great Commission reaching out the ungreased the people reaching thee a people who live in the edges of a society people who live in the fairy fairies people who are not reached yet but here
the lesson what we get is love your neighbor the Great Commandment it is not only Great Commission but also the Great Commandment is important and it is best practiced here since this third world helps us to understand mission is not charity but responsibility it is the responsibility of the church to take care of the needy neglected once thirdly
it is not only the Great Commission but the Great Commandment is important in God's nation shall we try to adapt these ships and practice to make our society inclusive by affirming Church of and church for the fourth lesson is taken from Gospel according to st. Mark chapter 15 verses 33 to 36 at noon darkness fell across
the whole land until three o'clock then at that time Jesus called out with a loud voice Loa Loa Lema sabachthani which means my God why have you forsaken me some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought that he was calling for the prophet Elijah one of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine holding it up to him on a stick so he could drink leave him alone let's see whether Elijah will come and take him down he said this is the gospel of Christ Oh see

welcome all for the meditation of the fourth verse of Jesus from the cross it is one of the very important concerns that everybody has, in fact, a question can Jesus who was considered as Messiah pray like this who was divine who performed miracles in the name of God and saved several people pray like an ordinary one probably if you take the prayer literally even it would lead

us to radical the very nature of Jesus or Christ can a person of God stature could offer this prayer what was the prayer which you could read from Matthew 27:46 and mark 15:34, in fact, the same prayer we could find from Psalm 22 also my father why have you forsaken me probably this would have been kind of common experience to many of us whenever we are in the struggle we are in pain we are in crying we are mourning we ask
God why have you forsaken me probably we were expecting so much from God we had a belief that God would save us from all these problems when that did not happen obviously the question comes from the human nature why have you forsaken me can Jesus pray like this that's the common question that everybody has it's mine even it is a big
criticism too because people were already teasing Jesus questioning Jesus divinity and the representation of God in this world and so on even John very clearly we read the first chapter the word become flesh so he was and also in John Jesus further say that he says if you see me you would see father you know that kind of an image that Jesus had but that Jesus
prays here why have you forsaken me I will generate you to read the first verse from the psalm 22 my God why have you forsaken me why are you so far from helping me from the words of my groaning second verse oh my god I cry by day but you don't answer and my night and by night but find no rest this is an experience to many of even this prayer was taught to Jesus when
from his childhood so probably this prayer would have been kind of a faith response many feel that Jesus was hopeless on the cross Jesus did not have hope on God that is why he uttered this prayer or who prayed like this but there are two things that we need to consider one is the silence of God most of our experiences go in this way to see
God is silent when we are in trouble we are genuine in our faith our commitment our belief but still, my prayers are not answered God is silent the silence of God number two when we are in turmoil when we are in the struggle when we are in problems we ask this question God why are you silent why don't you respond to my prayer here we should see this was not a prayer in a hopeless context or
situation it was a prayer which had hope so pray here with the hope do you know how because God rescues us from all our problems this is a common faith when we say god you have forsaken me you are silent you don't answer to my faith it is not coming from coming as a kind of hopeless statements whereas we still have hope and pray so we have to or it would probably a right
way to look at this prayer that Jesus still had hope in God that God would save the world because Jesus would have felt it his death might collapse the Messianic liberated saving act of God but this prayer comes with hope definitely God would save the world the other concern we could see is that innocence suffer you take any natural calamity even in
Corona mostly innocent suffer any problem give me a lord and order problem or natural calamities are catastrophes you take anything earthquake or cyclone what not the innocents they suffer why innocents suffer here Jesus identifies with eco sufferers I would like to take you to his ministries which were in the areas of the vicinities of Galilee Samaria and so on that people were suffering the entire
community the marginalized abortion community would have had the same prayer when they have heard that Jesus is going to be killed Lord why have you forsaken this definitely could have been a prayer of a person from a Galilee are from Samaria or anybody from off that sure I'm desert here Jesus joints them so Jesus Jesus identifies himself with the suffering community hunky praise along with them with the hope because a quick shot example in South Africa black theology they have a concept called black theology black Jesus in black
Jesus, they say that the whole world Jesus is portrayed as a white Jew here we are appetite by the rights so if Jesus is right that Jesus cannot understand our pain and problem so we want black Jesus to liberators or Redeemers or savers so they have developed a concept called black Jesus what only black Jesus can understand the pain and the sufferings of the black people and partake in the freedom struggle or the liberation struggle the same way Jesus identifies
with the people who are looking for their bright future probably Jesus joins us who pray like blood way hurry for sickness Jesus in solidarity with us when we are in suffering it is not the prayer comes out of hopelessness but comes as a hope in God that God would save us I say go suffer we got a privilege
to let us affirm that Jesus is suffering with me Jesus is crying with me Jesus is walking with me Jesus also prays like me why have you forsaken me God let us do have the hope that God will not forsake us he will save us strengthen as' motivators facilitates us to grow more and more with blessings I mean Oh the first lesson is taken from the Gospel of st. John chapter 19 verses 28 and 29 Jesus knew that by now
everything had been completed and in order to make the scripture come true, he said I am thirsty a bowl was there full of cheap oil so as finally was soaked in the wine put on a stalk of hyssop and lifted up to his lip the fifth verse 4 our meditation would be on I am thirsty Gospel according to st. John chapter 19 verse 28 after this when Jesus knew that all was now finished
he said in the bracket in order to fulfill the scripture bracket closed I am thirsty in order to fulfill the scripture I am thirsty the thirst is human nature the global south today is facing huge water problem we do not have enough water on the earth even tubewells are not able to feed us even desalinization process from the sea doesn't help us much cloud seeding is known we are going to help us we also try with several methods like rainwater harvesting
so on but it's not helping really much in order to meet our water need we can live without fruit but not without water even if you take a body it contains 2/3 of water so water is an important element for any human or an animal or an earth community to live without water nothing is going to have a life so water is life even Jesus himself says that he was the living water or he is the living water this living water is asking for or asking yeah asking for water to quench his thirst I just would like to take you to John 4th the 4th job chapter in the John's Gospel where Jesus had a very
interesting conversation with the Samaritan woman this lady came to fetch water from the well during the known time Jesus was not supposed to take the route via Samaria but he did along with his disciples with a purpose and padding
I've had a conversation with this woman you all know what was the conversation he started by saying that could you please give some water to quench my thirst then she refuses to say that you are in -
I am a Samaritan so I'm not supposed to give you what it finally she ran to the village saying that I saw Messiah I found Messiah so this water conversation revealed Jesus was a messiah the similar experience that we would see in Kolkata also today how in order to fulfill the scripture Jesus said I am thirsty from whom that he was asking water from the shoulders around
the defensemen around the police around because those were the people who were responsible for Jesus to die or be hard to stand till Jesus gives his lost breath who were they as we had seen earlier they were not Jews they have not Jewish people they belong to different communities like India the Jewish people over there in Jerusalem where minorities but they used the non-Jewish people to help
them in the administration defense and the other sectors so here the non-Jewish people like Kshatriyas who we say here in India were used in defense and police and so on so Jesus as a Jew was asking water from an angel this non-Jew is not supposed to give or offer water to a Jew what was the intention of Jesus number one a kind to
reveal that Jesus was Messiah Jesus is Messiah the Jew or any Jew for that matter was not supposed to ask water from an ancho but Jesus broke that rule and asking water here obviously a vinegar was given to quench his thirst by which Jesus reconciles the gap or Jesus mends the gap between the Jews and non-jews and
he reconciles to communities who stand apart from so the very purpose of Jesus is to promote peace and reconciliation by asking water, in fact, that was his mission even at the end of his life or about he was about to die so there he initiates a peace between communities by consuming the water or any form of liquid that quenches thirst but also unites these two communities thirdly in order to reveal that Jesus was a messiah to the non-Jewish people
I want to take you again to see in Matthew chapter 15 where Jesus had a conversation with the cannonade woman even Jesus was referring this cannonade woman and her community as dogs but this lady persisted in saying that even we have every right to take them or the waste yes we are dogs and so on that wasn't variant interesting conversation please read at home the interesting thing is that where Jesus found
great faith in heaven cannonade woman not from a jewel Jesus certifies her faith she was not a Jew she belongs to the other faiths the other area even she was not belonging to that area after this conversation interestingly Jesus leaves Jerusalem and move towards Galilee and Samaria where even our Google Maps cannot find those villages a GPRS doesn't work over there all unknown remote villages Jesus realized that he was sent for everyone not only for the Jewish people or

to Jerusalem alone so here he reconciles with the communities who belonged to non-Jewish communities and the people who belong to non-Jerusalem area friends many a time we think that via Christian we belong to the Christian community but we are not for hustles
we are for others not for Christian community we are for others do we also realize that now and commit ourselves that I will live for others not for myself and for my community really interestingly after saying that Jesus says that it is finished let us sing a song and we will go to the sixth-word verse in film in its time that it is finished let us take a breath now let us look at ourselves now for myself or for others the sixth word is taken
from Gospel according to Saint John chapter 19 verse 29 and 38 a jar of wine vinegar was there so they soaked a sponge in it put the sponge on a stock of the hyssop plant and lifted it to Jesus' lips when he had to see the drink Jesus said it is finished with that he bowed his head and gave up his spirit this is the gospel of Christ the sixth meditation would be based on the verse which is found in the
Gospel according to Saint John chapter 19 verse 30 John 19 33 0 when Jesus had received the wine he said it is finished then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit it is finished what is finished friends, in fact, we cannot separate the fifth meditation and sixth meditation we need to look at these two together as we have seen in the fifth meditation which was on thirst or I am thirsty where we have learned that the enema tea was nailed on the cross along with Jesus so there won't be any enema tea between the
Jewish community and non-Jewish community Jesus reconciled these two communities Jewish analogy because as we have seen most of the Jesus ministries were on the non-Jerusalem or on the peripheries of that region after mark sorry Matthew 15 chapters conversation with the scanner determined he leaves Jesus leaves out of Jerusalem and only to die he comes back till then he was ministering there so basically he wanted to bring that non-Jewish community to

Good Friday English Worship Online Service 10th April 2020 All Saint's

understand God and he wanted to introduce the Messiah through his preachings and through his life through his witness miracles and so on so here as we had seen already he took water or he wanted to quince his thirst from a drink from a non-Jewish community which is not at all common which was not permitted in fact but Jesus did it
in order to reconcile these two communities so the basic mission of Jesus to reconcile the human with God so the very purpose of Jesus life witness mission and ministry and the presence in this world to build a relationship a right relationship between God and human
I just would like to bring the theology of cross here we know this vertical relay a vertical trunk and the horizontal one the vertical one always which talks about my relationship with God it's you know it's vertical but the horizontal one which talks about this relationship facilitates me to look at you know my neighbors around so unless these both the vertical and the horizontal are in proper shape
the cross doesn't get fulfilled there won't be any meaning in the cross so this is what exactly Jesus does it here he makes the relationship between God and other fellow beings in a proper way this was the mission of God then Jesus said it is finished I have done my work most of us we don't turn self-satisfaction today we are not satisfied with the work what we are doing listen to tit
we are not at all satisfied but here is a person who sets an example by saying that it is finished I am satisfied I'm satisfied because he knew for what he was sent he knew for what he was working for and he knew what was his purpose of being here or the word become flesh friends how about us do we know the purpose of being a Christian purpose of being a human purpose of being a worker or who
works in this community at different levels many a time we don't know that's why we don't tell the satisfaction we don't know what God expects for me but Jesus knew he was very clear for what he was sent and what was doing and for what was his presence then the need and necessity it's a time for us also to see the purpose of my life here in this world am I doing the will of God is
I affirming the justice am I promoting love am I passing peace these three were the gospel values Jesus sent along with him how about us the second component in this verse or than this meditation is God works through Jesus and Jesus is satisfied by which he passes this mission to the community many a time it is unfortunate the traditional mission we say that mission to the unreached mission to the marginalized mission to the peripheries
mission - you know as if we know everything and the mission starts from us but here you know the Jesus very saying clearly give a direction to us that it is not mission to the margins mission to the Galileans admission to the Samaritans but mission from them because Hereafter these were the people who too take the mission of Godfather a mission by so no more mission - instead mission with and mission by
the margins according to us they are objects of charity they are unreached they are he thinks they're uneducated they are poor they're vulnerable but here Jesus very clearly passing his vision to take up this mission to them saying they are the people who are going to lead the mission how about us are we going to partner with such mission are we still going to
stand alone as a Jerusalemite as a Christians that everything belongs to me everything has to go from me or go through me the enmity the disparity the stigma is nailed on the cross along with Jesus are we going to be partners in a mission which is the width and by the marginalized communities if we take up this vision from Jesus we also would very boldly affirm that yes I have a satisfaction in my life
I know the purpose of life I'm satisfied with that God wants to give that to you today how about you are you willing to accept Oh the seventh lesson is taken from Gospel according to st. Luke chapter 23 verses 44 to 49 it was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three enough to for the Sun stopped shining and the curtain of the temple was torn into Jesus called out with a loud voice father into your hands
I commit my spirit when you said this he breathed his last the sanctuary see what had happened to praise God and said surely this was a righteous man when all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place the better dressed and went away but all those who knew him including the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things here instead of eating friends they lost and the final one shall we turn our Bibles into Gospel according to st. Luke chapter 23 verses beginning from 44 to 49 probably they would have been read earlier to you but still,
I would like to read along with you it was now about the noon and the darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon while the sun's light failed and the curtain of the temple was torn into two pieces then Jesus crying with a loud voice said father into your hands I commend my spirit having said this he breathed his lost when the Centurion saw what had taken place he praised God and said certainly this man was innocent and when all crowds who had gathered there for this spectacular song what had taken place they returned home beating their breasts but all his acquaintances including the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things father into your hands I commend my spirit after this he breathed his lost in short just
I would like to just remind you three things only say the Centurion who belongs to this Roman defense group openly acknowledges saying that this man is innocent who is this man Jesus Jesus was innocent he does not deserve such punishment here to listen to our hero observed the entire the way of the cross and the hanging and also the other six words are
more than what Jesus would have spoken and its purpose indirectly he says that he affirms that he was king of Jews, in fact, this was according to the Roman law it was a blasphemy he was speaking against the rulers the king but he did not bother about that this Centurion publicly witnessing Jesus Christ how about as friends the Centurion was belonging to the ruler ruling or he was part of the administration he himself affirms openly and publicly that
he was the Son of God in our workplace in the public space that we share with others have you ever witnessed openly boldly witnessed that Jesus is our Lord and Savior he was still receiving the salary from the Roman government but he did not bother whatever his heart sees whatever the point that he was convinced on he openly declared that he was innocent that means Jesus was the son of God how about as friends are we are
we bold enough in witnessing Christ publicly bravely and Bonnie the second point which I would like to remind you is when Jesus said that the author curtain tonin so there was said you know a curtain
which was dividing the occurrence of the worshipers and God are the clerics but Jesus broke that division there is no route to reach God it wasn't direct access to God very direct access but today we run after ministers you know the gospel workers the preachers we want them to pray for us but Jesus here created a new relationship that makes you and I to have a direct relationship with God not through any gospel worker or a missionary or a preacher or a convention speaker it is a direct relationship with God the third point which I would like to remind you this afternoon is even at the end of the life Jesus had a great

hope and belief on God a psalmist says saying into the third son I will not fear evil even if I walk in the death of life I will not fear evil I don't bother I don't fear and also this was a prayer which Jesus learned from his father the parents and of course it was it was a Jewish prayer which offers in every house saying that before they sleep they commit their souls into God or recommitting ourselves fully to God by which they will not fear for anything but today fear assumes us take the corona context we don't want to go out we don't want even others to go out are we really caring for others no we don't want to be get infected by the novel coronavirus fear no evil because
I have fully committed myself to God whatever happens around me whatever happens to me I will not fear because I have committed myself to God this was an experience of Jesus how about you and I today are we really acknowledging the grace the mercy that Lao we received from God through the blessings openly and publicly with our colleagues our family members our friends are we having a direct relationship with God without agent Jesus facilitated that relationship and thirdly this is completely hundred-percent given his soul and body spirit everything to God in the hands of God how about after day shall follow the Jesus model of committing ourselves to God by which we will be able to proclaim Jesus openly publicly boldly and bravely and also we will have a direct relationship with God because they have committed ourselves to God nothing will happen to me let us contemplate further on that as God leads let us commit ourselves by saying that God
I commit myself into your hands I commit myself to your hands shall we commit ourselves that could be meaningful and relevant activities of having meaningfully observed the Good Friday today may God bless us oh man dear fellow pilgrims in our faith journey we have just completed and another Good Friday service, as usual, we have heard seven meditations some of the thoughts really could have challenged us some points we would have felt that God has spoken to us and some we realize yeah we know everything I know you know a woman yeah it's a known factor how it maybe we have meditated on seven components as we all know that we have meditated upon forgiveness only the victims can forgive acceptance this acceptance insight or acceptance to the reign of God paradise where the paradise where God is there that place is paradise when
I reflect God I make my surrounding a neighborhood paradise responsibility mission is not a charity it is a responsibility by accepting the marginalized and the needy ones as the disciples of the disciple of Jesus accepted Jesus mother and Jesus reconciled in the cross by reconciling the human with God and so on and Jesus also revealed to the non-Jewish community even at the time of death by consuming water or taking water from them and even a Centurion the person who was part of the ruling party or ruling group affirms that Jesus was innocent is the son of God and finally they have meditated that Jesus fully committed himself to God's will so we also are expected to commit ourselves we also have seen a couple of illustrations to learn and understand these components or these principles in a better way
I just would like to conclude with another couple of illustrations one is a young husband wanted to present a very unique article to his wife on her on their first wedding anniversary he went to a gift shop found an article called thermos flask so he asked the shopkeeper what is this they mean said it is a thermos flask what is special in it then the shopkeeper said if you keep hot stuff inside it will remain hot and you can open it and take it if we keep the cold stuff inside it will remain cold then you can use it later he took and went home and presented that thermos flask to
his wife saying that it is a very unique article even if you move around the world you cannot find this isn't very important it is out of my love I just would like to present this special gift to you the wife asked what is special in it and what is the name he said this article is known as thermos flask if you keep hot stuff inside it'll remain hot if it is cold stuff it'll remain cold then she opened and found some stuff was inside then she austere husband what is inside the husband said a hot coffee and an ice cream friends this is what our life is today our life is like a thermos flask but we contain both hot and cold there is no gray area little Christian life either white or black either right or
left there is no in-between so we cannot be both hot and cold either hot or cold how about our meditations today are they going to make us hot or cold it's left to us to decide if we ignore the concerns that God raised today to us will have remained cold but we cannot be together with heart to the thermos flask the second illustration a house one has had a caged bird and he used to speak to the board one day the bird asked the owner could you please release me I'll give you three devices for your life definitely if you listen and adapt and apply properly you will definitely
have a better future finally the owner agreed to that and asked for the first advice what is your first advice then I will open the door then the Bird said don't regret your past his past forget the past don't regret okay we also have meditated upon that God never he doesn't bother about our past only future so the bird advised he agreed to that he opened the door before the bird came out the bird casually told the owner they you fool I heard two diamonds in my body you fellow without realizing the importance of me you released me you're a fool then she went and sat on a branch inside the compound wall of the house the owner was really regretting that oh god
I missed an important thing you've heard I've heard this bird I have taken those two diamonds and sold off for a good price and become rich then he asked okay to forget that what is the second advice you wanted to give me then the Bird said
well the first advice was don't worry about your past forget the past and think about the future the second advice would apply your mind before you believe then he said okay that's fantastic I'll do that then he asks the bird what is the third one the bird replied saying that what was the first advice forget the past I should not regret the past but you were regretting your past when I said I have two diamonds in my body came out you realize you regretted saying that by mistake that you have released me so you do not listen and follow my first advice and what did I tell the second advice to apply your mind before you believe we think that as a small bird I've heard two diamonds you are really a fool then the host or the owner realized an ass the bird okay okay
I usually you know you know all these things that he to justify and say okay forget to give me the third one then the Bird said look my honor you did not listen to both two addresses even the third advice is not going to be useful to you set and the bird flu friends we have listened a lot are we going to adapt and follow our we are going to be as usual by saying that the Sun was good but we forget everything finally where is the cross in my life and Christ in my life as we have seen in the first interaction as the Goldsmith said to the bishop if you keep the cross away it will be heavy

but if you wear it you won't even feel it friends are we going to be hot or cold are we going to follow the lessons that God gave us today there is the cross in my life where is Christ in my life let us continuously meditate upon founded upon these thoughts and ask God to make this day as meaningful and memorable one god bless all of us amen now we shall all sing fear not I am with the Blessed Gould go Oh the night is bright as you never Oh he is never too the never
he to be please those Jesus who's option Jesus some giant we'll be he bro this baby like to people to me just I would like to make some few announcements for the Easter sunrise service at 5:30 a.m. on the 12th of April 2020 we shall all be gathering online and 5:30 a.m. sharp so I request you all to be part of this online worship services thank you let us all bow our heads and pray Lord Jesus Christ Son of the living we pray to you set your passion cross and death between your judgment
and assholes now and in the hour of death give mercy and grace to the living growth in your love to the faithful departed to your holy church peace and Concord and to us sinners everlasting life and glory for with the father and Holy Spirit you
live and reign one God now and forever amen the Lord be with you all and also with him let us depart in peace in the name of Christ our men you