Igor Cardoso The Journey of Good Friday
📆 April 18th, 2025
📖 Bible Reading: Mark 15:33-39 (and the Gospel context)
“At the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’—which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ When some of those standing near heard this, they said, ‘Listen, he’s calling Elijah.’ Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. ‘Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,’ he said. With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” (Mark 15:33-39)
🔹 Central Theme: The supreme sacrifice of Christ reveals to us the depth of His love and divine redemption.
Introduction
Good morning, beloved of the Lord!
Good Friday is a moment of solemn remembrance of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It is a day to deeply consider the immense agony and the subsequent victory manifest through the cross. On this day, humanity was redeemed at an immeasurable price, and the mystery of God’s love was revealed in a sublime and transcendent way.
Reflection
Christ’s journey to the cross was painful and full of meaning. On that day, He endured not only extreme physical suffering but also spiritual separation as He bore the weight of the world’s sins. Jesus, in His obedience and love, accomplished the reconciliation between God and humanity. He cried out in His pain: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”—an echo of Psalm 22, which foreshadowed this moment of apparent abandonment that, paradoxically, would bring creation into reconciliation.
The death of Jesus not only opened the way for the forgiveness of sins but also tore the temple veil, symbolizing the end of separation between God and mankind. In His final breath, He declared the completion of the redemptive work, ensuring us direct access to the Father. Our response must be reverence and gratitude for the sacrifice that won our freedom. We now live in hope and victory, called to reflect His glory with transformed lives, recognizing that our old selves were crucified with Him and that now we are made new.
APPLICATION FOR TODAY:
✅ Contemplate the Sacrifice of Christ — Take a moment of silence to meditate on the depth of the love revealed on the cross.
✅ Live in the Reality of the Cross — Let the truth of Christ’s death transform your daily life as you live in gratitude and service.
✅ Proclaim the Hope of the Resurrection — Share with others the hope that Christ’s death brings, pointing them to the joy of the resurrection.
Related Verses:
- Isaiah 53:5 – “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”
- 1 Corinthians 1:18 – “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
- Romans 5:8 – “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
📖 Additional reading:
1 Peter 2 – A call to follow Christ’s example in His submission and suffering, recognizing His death as the foundation of our salvation and new identity in God.
🙏 May you remain today reflecting on this supreme sacrifice of Christ, living in deep gratitude and reverence for the love that saved us.
🎁 “The love of Christ on the cross gives us life, reconciles us, and leads us to the beauty of the resurrection.”
