“THEY LOOKED DOWN WITH SAD AND WONDERING EYES”
Good Friday: 2 April Anno Domini 2010
Fr JW Watson S.S.P.
The Messiah died for all of you. If you were not bad, and sinful, and ungrateful, and petty, and selfish, and mean, and…. just like me…the God/Man would not have needed to die.
Look to the bleeding One, pinned to the wood, the true "Monarch" becomes a flying butterfly no more when He's caked in His drool, sweat, and blood. He is fastened, unto death, as a victim to Justice; Justice against YOUR sin; and a victim to the Mysterious Trinity's unfathomable wrath against impurity, and brokenness - - that "which should not be!"
But you continue to sin, and "miss the point" (the points of those nails and thorns) IF you feel sorry for Jesus, and feel anger for the Jews, Romans, Pilate and Sanhedrin. You should smite your own breast for killing the Messiah with YOUR daily sins; with your "old Adam" natures.
The Messiah also died for all of creation. If the world were not "tilted" off from its true spiritual axis of perfection, if it were not decaying and slowing dying, sinking inevitably into the sulfurous lake of fire… the God/Man would not have needed to die. It isn't "global warming" that will bring the final end; it's your trespass-al warming!
The angels are one of the most beautiful parts of creation. Christian doctrine teaches, and Christians believe, that after the fall of Satan and his followers, the Host of Sabaoth that remained believers and followers of the Blessed Trinity; of the Messiah - - the Ultimate ANGEL OF THE LORD, were forever protected by God from any further rebellion and fall. The good and loyal angels are now and forever messengers of God's Grace and servants of His will; as well as dutiful, obedient, and enthusiastic parishioners in His heavenly nave and chancel. Even now the mighty Seraphim are chanting His Name: Sanctus, Sanctus, + Sanctus.
This Good Friday, we remember these "ev-angels" these "good news-ers." For the Host of High, love Jesus with a perfect passion and a bull-dog loyalty.
The Word was with God and the Word was God. The Messiah created the angels. They know it. They are grateful as we cannot even comprehend. They were His great lights and heavenly bodies created in the beginning, as recorded in Moses' first book. The angels were there with Christ as he created your father from dirt and your mother from your father's side. The angels were with the Lord (how incredible to be with the Lord, by His side) when He visited Abram by the Trees of Mamre. The angels fought against the evil demons whenever they were called to do so, physically (as in their intercession for Hezekiah against Sennacherib, and on behalf of Elisha & Gehazi) and spiritually (as is mysteriously explained in Daniel in the famous passage about the "Prince of Persia").
The archangel Gabriel was given one of the greatest privileges in the History of the Universe when he was granted the right of annunciation to the Blessed Virgin. The Fiery Host was there on the very night of Our Lord's birth - singing - with a joy only a perfect and faithful companion can express. Angels are perfect and faithful companions. They loved Jesus as perhaps only a dog can love, as a hound, a family pooch, loves! They were with Him after His 40 day desert ordeal. They ministered to His needs - - these "Saint-Bernard-Seraphs." And they most assuredly WOULD have caught Him in their "hands" had Satan somehow pushed Jesus off from the Temple parapet. They were with Him in Gethsemane when He began His sweat of blood on your behalf. What must they have felt? They are sentient; they do know an awful lot and have seen an awful lot.
And then, on Good Friday, the Angels stood by, but were allowed, permitted, to do nothing. They were ultimate "friends." They did not run away like the 12. They are brave. Unlike those in the crowd who were impotent and without any means at their disposal to intervene (like the lowly women: Salome, Susana, and the Magdalene). Those "ministering servants," well-armed with flaming swords, would have eagerly slain every one of those men who had touched, beat, whipped, and nailed their Lord to the cross. Each and every cherub, throne, dominion, principality and seraph would gladly have given its life, both temporal and eternal, to have stepped in to rescue their sweet and dear Friend and Master. But their soft/hard hands were stayed. They were "held in check" by Christ's will and His desire to do His Father's will - - FOR YOU. These same loyal "doggies" that had wagged their billowing wings in joy at the birth of baby Jesus, the soft, pink, perfect little bundle nestling in Mary's arms, now saw Him crucified; dead; and buried.
There are no more heart-wrenching lyrics in all the Lutheran Hymnals than those words you sung last Sunday in the chief hymn (# 162 s. 3): "Ride on Ride on in Majesty! The angel armies of the sky Look down with sad and wond'ring eyes to see th' approaching Sacrifice."
And at Jerusalem, outside the city walls, they now used their wings to cover their eyes, to keep the others from seeing their crystal-clear spiritual tears. That too is what YOUR SIN did.
In a wonderful little movie entitled: "Greyfriars Bobby," the viewer encounters a story (based on a real-life event) where a little Skye Terrier named Bobby, so loyal to his master, so unfeignedly "in love" in that purest dog-like-way imaginable (that angel-like way) that even when the little old man dies, the dog, Bobby refuses to abandon the only object of its affection. The little dog daily eludes all obstacles to sneak into the cemetery and lay down on the grave guarding…protecting…waiting… waiting…never leaving…
The angels did not leave their Master. Not even in the blackness of those dreadful last three hours… when even the Father turned His countenance. The angels did not leave His wounded and pierced and dead side. Riven and torn because of you…but also FOR YOU!
Repent. Believe. And Wait! The angels will be with you again in 38 hours, on the Third Day.
In the Name of The Father and of The Son + and of The Holy Ghost