Today is called "Good Friday" because it is on this day that we remember just how much God loves each and every one of us. It is in the cross of Christ that we see the triumph of Jesus over his enemies of sin, Satan and death. It is the cross which is the sign of God’s mercy and the proof of His forgiveness. By his cross Jesus has redeemed our sin and atoned for our punishment. On this day we commemorate and celebrate Jesus’ passion; how he suffered our suffering. It is by Jesus’ suffering and death that God enters in to all that we suffer, including death itself. By taking it upon himself, Jesus knows and understands, and is with us in our suffering and death. It is by his passion, death and resurrection that we are transformed. And so, today, we celebrate how Jesus’ suffering was that of a "servant." It was through what he endured that we are set free from the power of our sin, and the devastation of death. In the words of Isaiah: "It was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings that he endured…he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins,…[it was] by his stripes [that] we were healed."

I, like probably many of you, went to see Mel Gibson’s "The Passion of Christ." I think one of the things that the movie gave me was a better understanding of the absolute brutality that Jesus’ suffered. It is in fact a brutality that human beings have been inflicting on one another throughout human history. It is not confined by national boundaries, nor limited by culture, or religion or gender, or age. It is in fact the reflection of the total absence of love.

Jesus’ passion, however, was full of love, and full of compassion, which in its simplest terms means to "suffer with." And Jesus did suffer with all humanity, past, present and future, in his passion. Yet, it is important to realize that it wasn’t the endurance of the suffering of Jesus that saved us, but rather, the love and forgiveness of Jesus, that is the source of our salvation.

Jesus was accepting of Judas’ betrayal of him. He was understanding of Peter’s denial of him – three times. He submitted to Pilate’s rule over him. He shared his mother’s sorrow. He was thankful for Simon’s help in carrying his cross. He rewarded Veronica’s courage and self-sacrifice by the image of his face imprinted on the cloth. He consoled the women of Jerusalem as they lamented his suffering. He surrendered all his human dignity as he hung naked, nailed to the cross. He reconciled the good thief and assured him: "Today, you will be with me in Paradise." And he forgave his tormentors: "Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do."

Jesus’ life was all about love and forgiveness. Jesus’ death was also about love and forgiveness. Jesus’ resurrection was about love and forgiveness that God bestows on us every day of our lives. It is that love and forgiveness that we are called to show to all others in imitation of Jesus Christ our Lord.

By virtue of our baptism, we are the sons and daughters of our all merciful God who wishes that we live together in peace and harmony, as brothers and sisters. In scripture we heard Jesus pray: "Father, I pray for them that they may be one as you and I are one." As Jesus gave his life for us; so we are called to give our lives for one another.

Good Friday, then, speaks to us of the love that God has for each person. We are assured that even the most scandalous sinner is invited to repent and return to God. His forgiveness is limitless for the one who is sincere. The question we need ask ourselves is: Can I truly believe in God’s infinite mercy towards me, for those I find hard to forgive? This is the mystery of Good Friday. As we move, shortly, to venerate the cross, we are all invited to place at the feet of Jesus, our pain, sorrow, anger, sin and all our failures. Jesus is there to forgive us, and God, the Father, is there to welcome each one home.