Today we observe Good Friday, commemorating the passion, suffering and death on the cross of Jesus, our saviour. Let us reflect on
the divinity of Jesus, present in the passion, suffering and death of Jesus.
Jesus instructs one of his disciples to put away his sword after striking one of
the capturers. He calls for non-violence, even after experiencing it. Faced with this suffering, one would agree to use any means to alleviate it. This instruction is important for our context in South Africa; non-violence would improve our lives in our society and country.
There was some attraction to Jesus that those who were against him failed to recognise or acknowledge. Jesus never complained about being tired or moving from one place to another. He was the innocent Lamb of God that was to take away the sins of the world. Although Pilate’s wife called Jesus innocent and told
Pilate not to have anything to do with him, she was aware of the divinity of Jesus.
The centurion and the men watching Jesus were frightened by the tearing
of the sanctuary veil, earthquake, splitting rocks, opening tombs and the appearance of dead saints. They realised that they had crucified the Son of God.
What did they mean by this admission, “Truly, this was the Son of God”? What made them so blind as not to realise this before? One reason may be that following the crowd with no responsibility or accountability is much easier. Someone else can be blamed. They could have thought they were doing the right thing by taking orders.
How might the presence of God be hidden in your life? Where are you blind to the presence of God in your life? What brings about this blindness?
