Podcasts about holy friday

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.(English Standard Version)

pWotD Episode 2908: Good Friday Welcome to Popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 466,574 views on Friday, 18 April 2025 our article of the day is Good Friday.Good Friday, also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday, or Friday of the Passion of the Lord, is a solemn Christian holy day commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary (Golgotha). It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum.Members of many Christian denominations, including the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican, Methodist, Oriental Orthodox, United Protestant and some Reformed traditions (including certain Continental Reformed, Presbyterian and Congregationalist churches), observe Good Friday with fasting and church services. In many Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and Methodist churches, the Service of the Great Three Hours' Agony is held from noon until 3 p.m.—the hours the Bible records darkness covering the land until Jesus' death on the cross. In the Catholic, Lutheran and Anglican traditions of Christianity, the Stations of the Cross are prayed in the evening of Good Friday, as with other Fridays of Lent. Communicants of the Moravian Church have a Good Friday tradition of cleaning gravestones in Moravian cemeteries.The date of Good Friday varies from one year to the next in both the Gregorian and Julian calendars. Eastern and Western Christianity disagree over the computation of the date of Easter and therefore of Good Friday. Good Friday is a widely instituted legal holiday around the world. Some predominantly Christian countries, such as Germany, have laws prohibiting certain acts—public dancing, horse racing—in remembrance of the sombre nature of Good Friday.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 03:01 UTC on Saturday, 19 April 2025.For the full current version of the article, see Good Friday on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Emma.

My homily for the celebration of our Lord's Passion on Holy Friday, April 18, 2025 at Sacred Heart Cathedral for the Mass in French.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (04/18/25), Hank picks up his overview of the days of Holy Week, arriving at Holy Friday, the day a united Church is brought face-to-face with the fatal torment of Jesus Christ. A torment that began in the garden of Gethsemane following the emotional Last Supper of Holy Thursday. That night, Jesus was betrayed by Judas, disowned by Peter, and arrested by the temple guard. Before Caiaphas the high priest, he was mocked, beaten, and spat upon. The next morning, Jesus—battered, bruised, and bleeding—was stripped and subjected to the brutality of Roman flogging, reducing his body to quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh. As Christ slumped into the pool of his blood, soldiers threw a scarlet robe across his shoulders, thrust a scepter into his hands, and pressed sharp thorns into his scalp. After they mocked him, they took the scepter and repeatedly struck him on the head. A heavy wooden beam was thrust upon his bleeding body, and he was led away to a place called Golgotha. There, the Lord of glory experienced ultimate physical torture in the form of the cross.Today, as we remember the passion of the Christ upon the cross, as we recall his dying words, “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit,” we are reminded that we, too, will breathe our last. Whether we are old or young, rich or poor, male or female, we light the sky for the briefest of moments. And then eternity. In the meantime, what we do today will have direct consequences for all eternity. Thus, while the culture seeks to focus your gaze on greatness, Christ rightly focuses your gaze on grace and godliness.

Friends of the Rosary,Today, Friday of the Passion of the Lord, Holy Friday, or Good Friday (a deviation of the term “God's Friday), the Church observes the earthly death of our Savior. It's a solemn day of mourning, prayer, fasting, and a sense of sadness as we acknowledge our failure to serve our Lord.We slow down, restrict ourselves from entertainment, participate in processions and devotions (such as the Rosary, Stations of the Cross, and the Divine Mercy), and meditate on readings and prayers related to the passion of Christ.At three o'clock, the faithful attend the “Celebration of the Lord's Passion.” It's not a Mass but a service with three parts: Liturgy of the Word, Veneration of the Cross, and Holy Communion.At the beginning, the priests and deacons prostrate themselves in silent prayer. The General Intentions cover ten areas:For the ChurchFor the PopeFor the clergy and laity of the ChurchFor those preparing for baptismFor the unity of ChristiansFor the Jewish peopleFor those who do not believe in ChristFor those who do not believe in GodFor all in public officeFor those in special needIn part two, we venerate and kiss the wooden cross “on which hung the Savior of the world.” In part three, the congregation receives Holy Communion, and everyone departs in silence.The liturgies of the Paschal Triduum are one continuous act of worship. Yesterday, we saw Christ Jesus at the Last Supper completing the washing of the feet in all humility and instituting the Holy Eucharist and the Holy Orders. Today, at the midpoint of the Triduum of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of the Lord, our pilgrimage comes to Calvary. Tomorrow, the Easter Vigil of Easter will begin with the Service of Light.The first reading at today's commemoration of the Passion is the fourth of Isaiah's songs of the Suffering Servant.Then we hear St. John's narrative of Christ's Passion. To protect and heal us from darkness, Christ Jesus allowed the fury of sin to destroy Him. He endured the pain of the cross bearing our sins.The Suffering Servant pleased the Father not by his agony but by being obedient to the point of death on the cross, offering his body in sacrifice to take away the sin of the world.St. Anselm said that the death of the Son reestablished the right relationship between divinity and humanity.In Jesus, with his arms outstretched on the cross, we find the redemption of our suffering. He is the source of our eternal salvation.Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will. Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• ⁠April 18, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

The Holy Symeon was bishop of the royal cities of Seleucia and Ctesiphon in Persia, during a great persecution under King Sapor II. The king had been incited by (Zoroastrian) Magi jealous of the growth of the Faith in their territory, and by some Jews living in Persia. The king was already displeased with the holy bishop: his eunuch, Ustazan, a secret Christian, had denied Christ, but when reprimanded by Symeon, had confessed the Faith before the King, for which he was executed. On Holy Friday of 343 Symeon, along with at least a hundred other servants of the Church, was sent out to be slain. Symeon exhorted each to be of good courage, and was himself slain last. One year later, again on Holy Friday, the King's eunuch Azat was executed for Christ, along with a great number of the faithful. It is said that more than 1,000 Christians died as martyrs during this persecution.   The Zoroastrians still live in parts of Iran as a small, somewhat persecuted minority under the Islamic government.

Friends of the Rosary,As we read today in the Gospel (John 8:12-20), Jesus spoke to the Pharisees, saying,“I am the light of the world.Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness,but will have the light of life.”This week, the Gospel of John continues to give us insight into Jesus' suffering soul.Christ's total self-surrender on our behalf, consummated on the Cross, will culminate on Holy Friday.His sacrifice is an urgent call to us to respond to his great love for all men and every one of us.Faced with this unfathomable mystery of Love, I should ask myself, what do I do for him? How do I respond to his love?“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”March 21, 2025, marked the fifth year since we started praying the Holy Rosary of Mary daily within this community. We are grateful and rejoice in the Holy Virgin as we have found favor in her Rosary — a special grace given to us!Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will. Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York Enhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• ⁠April 7, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Friends of the Rosary,As a continuation of yesterday's Laetare Sunday joyful spirit, today we read in the Gospel (John 4:43-54) how Jesus cured the son of a royal official in Capernaum."Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe."Tomorrow, and during the next two weeks, the Gospel's main readings will be from St. John.Day after day, we will read about the growing hostility against Jesus and their persecution that climaxed in the crucifixion of Holy Friday.Through his Passion, Death, and Resurrection, Christ reconciled us with God and one another. God's great love for us has been revealed in Jesus.He came to divinize us, to start a new creation with us, and reconcile us to God — and not just to teach a moral code, as other religions do: As St. Paul explained it yesterday (2 Corinthians 5:17-21):"Whoever is in Christ is a new creation:the old things have passed away;behold, new things have come.And all this is from God,who has reconciled us to himself through Christand given us the ministry of reconciliation,namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,not counting their trespasses against themand entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.So we are ambassadors for Christ."Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will. Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York Enhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• ⁠March 31, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Join Fr Nick and Dr Roxanne as they discuss "Forgiveness" the first lesson that Jesus taught us from the Cross on Holy Friday. This is the first chapter of their book, available from Ancient Faith, 6 Hours, 7 Lessons: How Christ's Light Transcends Our Darkness.

From the 2025 Asian American Mental Health Conference "Navigating Transitions with Faith and Resilience: Asian American Mental Health Across Life Stages." This lecture is by Sangeetha Thomas, titled "Navigating Death and Meaning: Life Transitions, Trauma, and Faith in Asian American Mental Health," recorded January 17, 2025. Find out more about the conference here: https://ptsem.edu/academics/centers/center-for-asian-american-christianity/2025-mental-health-conference/ Abstract: How do we courageously and faithfully navigate the reality of death and the pain of loss throughout our lives? This session will examine the themes of Holy Friday – the passion and death of Christ, to discern a blueprint from which we can better understand and respond to death. Leaders will explore Christ's transformational act of love through His death that has fundamentally transformed our experiences of suffering and loss. This session will challenge leaders to see death through a lens of grace and hope while still recognizing the tragic pain and trauma of loss – ultimately, embracing the paradox of our Christian faith. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit caacptsem.substack.com

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (05/03/24), Hank picks up his overview of the days of Holy Week, arriving at Holy Friday, the day a united Church is brought face-to-face with the fatal torment of Jesus Christ. A torment that began in the garden of Gethsemane following the emotional Last Supper of Holy Thursday. That night Jesus was betrayed by Judas, disowned by Peter, and arrested by the temple guard. Before Caiaphas the high priest, he was mocked, beaten, and spat upon. The next morning Jesus—battered, bruised, and bleeding—was stripped and subjected to the brutality of Roman flogging, reducing his body to quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh. As Christ slumped into the pool of his own blood, soldiers threw a scarlet robe across his shoulders, thrust a scepter into his hands, and pressed sharp thorns into his scalp. After they mocked him, they took the scepter and repeatedly struck him on the head. A heavy wooden beam was thrust upon his bleeding body and he was led away to a place called Golgotha. There, the Lord of glory experienced ultimate physical torture in the form of the cross.Today as we remember the passion of the Christ upon the cross, as we recall his dying words “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit” we are reminded that we too will breathe our last. Whether we are old or young, rich or poor, male or female, we light the sky for the briefest of moments. And then eternity. In the meantime, what we do today will have direct consequences for all eternity. Thus, while the culture seeks to focus your gaze on greatness, Christ rightly focuses your gaze on grace and godliness.

A homily delivered by Fr. Michael Maximous on Great and Holy Friday at St. Basil American Coptic Orthodox Church on May 3, 2024

He who robes the setting sun in clouds of royal purple is robed by us in the purple of mockery; yet He prays from the cross for us, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.'”… Read on

A homily delivered by Leikun Araya on the Eve of Great and Holy Friday at St. Basil American Coptic Orthodox Church on May 2, 2024

The Holy Symeon was bishop of the royal cities of Seleucia and Ctesiphon in Persia, during a great persecution under King Sapor II. The king had been incited by (Zoroastrian) Magi jealous of the growth of the Faith in their territory, and by some Jews living in Persia. The king was already displeased with the holy bishop: his eunuch, Ustazan, a secret Christian, had denied Christ, but when reprimanded by Symeon, had confessed the Faith before the King, for which he was executed. On Holy Friday of 343 Symeon, along with at least a hundred other servants of the Church, was sent out to be slain. Symeon exhorted each to be of good courage, and was himself slain last. One year later, again on Holy Friday, the King's eunuch Azat was executed for Christ, along with a great number of the faithful. It is said that more than 1,000 Christians died as martyrs during this persecution.   The Zoroastrians still live in parts of Iran as a small, somewhat persecuted minority under the Islamic government.

The Holy Symeon was bishop of the royal cities of Seleucia and Ctesiphon in Persia, during a great persecution under King Sapor II. The king had been incited by (Zoroastrian) Magi jealous of the growth of the Faith in their territory, and by some Jews living in Persia. The king was already displeased with the holy bishop: his eunuch, Ustazan, a secret Christian, had denied Christ, but when reprimanded by Symeon, had confessed the Faith before the King, for which he was executed. On Holy Friday of 343 Symeon, along with at least a hundred other servants of the Church, was sent out to be slain. Symeon exhorted each to be of good courage, and was himself slain last. One year later, again on Holy Friday, the King's eunuch Azat was executed for Christ, along with a great number of the faithful. It is said that more than 1,000 Christians died as martyrs during this persecution.   The Zoroastrians still live in parts of Iran as a small, somewhat persecuted minority under the Islamic government.

Behold, my servant shall act wisely;he shall be high and lifted up,and shall be exalted.As many were astonished at you—his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—so shall he sprinkle many nations;kings shall shut their mouths because of him;for that which has not been told them they see,and that which they have not heard they understand.Who has believed what they heard from us?And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?For he grew up before him like a young plant,and like a root out of dry ground;he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,and no beauty that we should desire him.He was despised and rejected by men;a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;and as one from whom men hide their faceshe was despised, and we esteemed him not.Surely he has borne our griefsand carried our sorrows;yet we esteemed him stricken,smitten by God, and afflicted.But he was wounded for our transgressions;he was crushed for our iniquities;upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,and with his stripes we are healed.All we like sheep have gone astray;we have turned every one to his own way;and the Lord has laid on himthe iniquity of us all.He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,yet he opened not his mouth;like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,so he opened not his mouth.By oppression and judgment he was taken away;and as for his generation, who consideredthat he was cut off out of the land of the living,stricken for the transgression of my people?And they made his grave with the wickedand with a rich man in his death,although he had done no violence,and there was no deceit in his mouth.Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;he has put him to grief;when his soul makes an offering for sin,he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,make many to be accounted righteous,and he shall bear their iniquities.Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,because he poured out his soul to deathand was numbered with the transgressors;yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.(English Standard Version)

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On the Friday of his crucifixion, Jesus faced the wrath of God not for himself but for us. He took on our sin, our shame, and our humiliation. When I think about Jesus' sacrifice, which I would do better to meditate on frequently, I am, more often than not, left speechless. - Christine Perry SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts: The Crosswalk Devotional: https://www.lifeaudio.com/crosswalk-devotional Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (03/29/24), Hank concludes the four-part argument for the resurrection of Jesus Christ, transformation. What happened as a result of the resurrection is unprecedented. In the span of a few hundred years, a small band of insignificant believers succeeded in turning an entire empire upside down. The Twelve—minus Judas, plus Paul—were radically revolutionized. Peter, once afraid of being exposed as a follower of Christ, became a lion of the faith. Paul, the ceaseless persecutor, became the chief proselytizer of the Gentiles. Within weeks of the resurrection, not just a few, but an entire community of thousands of Jews, willingly transformed the spiritual and sociological traditions underscoring their national identity. Of one thing Hank has become certain—if twenty-first-century Christians would grasp the reality of resurrection like first-century Christians did, their lives would be totally transformed.Today, Great and Holy Friday, “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” (Isaiah 53:5 NIV). As Theanthropos (God-Man), the spotless Lamb of God lived a perfectly sinless human life and died a sinner's death to sufficiently atone once for all for the sins of humanity. Isaiah not only foreshadows the death of Christ but His resurrection as well. Isaiah prophetically looks forward to the resurrection of “a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering” as the earnest of our resurrection on the last day. “After the suffering of his soul,” says Isaiah, “he will see the light of life and be satisfied.” In like fashion, our bodies will be resurrected from the dust of the ground. Jesus, who fulfills the entire mosaic of Old Testament resurrection prophecies left no doubt about this coming resurrection: “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned” (John 5:28-29 NIV). If Christ had not himself been resurrected, the promise that he will resurrect dry bones in scattered graves would be as empty as the tomb guaranteeing its fulfillment.

Friends of the Rosary, Today, the whole Church commemorates the commemorate the Passion and crucifixion of Jesus Christ when He died for the sins of the world. It's a solemn day of mourning and also a legal holiday around much of the world. It's a day of sadness, spent in fasting, abstinence, and prayer. Practicing some mortifications today, such as eating less or standing up is appropriate. We find ways to slow down and have more quiet to contemplate this day, avoiding loud conversations and restricting ourselves from distractions, entertainment, and social media. We can pray for different devotions like the Rosary, Stations of the Cross, the Divine Mercy devotions, and do meditative readings of the passion of Christ. The title for this day varies in different parts of the world: "Holy Friday" for Latin nations, in Germany, it is "Friday of Mourning," in Norway, it is "Long Friday." Some view the term "Good Friday" (used in English and Dutch) as a corruption of the term "God's Friday." Liturgically, around three o'clock in the afternoon, we participate in the "Celebration of the Lord's Passion." The service — not a mass — is divided into three parts: the Liturgy of the Word, the Veneration of the Cross — when we joyfully venerate and kiss the wooden cross "on which hung the Savior of the world —, and Holy Communion. In the Liturgy of the Word, we hear the passages from Isaiah of famous of the Suffering Servant (52:13-53:12). Psalm 30 is the Responsorial Psalm "Father, I put my life in your hands." The Second Reading is from the letter to the Hebrews, 4:14-16; 5:7-9. The Gospel Reading is the Passion of St. John. The ten intercessions cover these areas: For the Church For the Pope For the clergy and laity of the Church For those preparing for baptism For the unity of Christians For the Jewish people For those who do not believe in Christ For those who do not believe in God For all in public office For those in special need The Father sent his Son to bring divine light to the darkest place. Christ Jesus offered his body in sacrifice to take away the sin of the world. St. Anselm said that the death of the Son reestablished the right relationship between divinity and humanity. Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You! To Jesus through Mary! Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will! + Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York • ⁠March 29, 2024, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET  

Today we conclude our series of the liturgies for Great and Holy Week. This week's episode covers Great and Holy Friday, Great and Holy Saturday, and Pascha Sunday.This is our 200th episode. We're so grateful to our listeners for your prayers and support!Follow and Contact Us!Follow us on Instagram and FacebookWe're on YouTube!Join our Goodreads GroupFr. Michael's TwitterChrist the Bridegroom MonasteryOur WebsiteOur NonprofitSupport the show

Luke #69 - Luke 23:1-56 - Holy Friday by City|U Lubbock

Homilies from St. Anne's. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

The Holy Symeon was bishop of the royal cities of Seleucia and Ctesiphon in Persia, during a great persecution under King Sapor II. The king had been incited by (Zoroastrian) Magi jealous of the growth of the Faith in their territory, and by some Jews living in Persia. The king was already displeased with the holy bishop: his eunuch, Ustazan, a secret Christian, had denied Christ, but when reprimanded by Symeon, had confessed the Faith before the King, for which he was executed. On Holy Friday of 343 Symeon, along with at least a hundred other servants of the Church, was sent out to be slain. Symeon exhorted each to be of good courage, and was himself slain last. One year later, again on Holy Friday, the King's eunuch Azat was executed for Christ, along with a great number of the faithful. It is said that more than 1,000 Christians died as martyrs during this persecution.   The Zoroastrians still live in parts of Iran as a small, somewhat persecuted minority under the Islamic government.

The Holy Symeon was bishop of the royal cities of Seleucia and Ctesiphon in Persia, during a great persecution under King Sapor II. The king had been incited by (Zoroastrian) Magi jealous of the growth of the Faith in their territory, and by some Jews living in Persia. The king was already displeased with the holy bishop: his eunuch, Ustazan, a secret Christian, had denied Christ, but when reprimanded by Symeon, had confessed the Faith before the King, for which he was executed. On Holy Friday of 343 Symeon, along with at least a hundred other servants of the Church, was sent out to be slain. Symeon exhorted each to be of good courage, and was himself slain last. One year later, again on Holy Friday, the King's eunuch Azat was executed for Christ, along with a great number of the faithful. It is said that more than 1,000 Christians died as martyrs during this persecution.   The Zoroastrians still live in parts of Iran as a small, somewhat persecuted minority under the Islamic government.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (04/14/23), Hank picks up his overview of the days of Holy Week, arriving at Holy Friday, the day a united Church is brought face-to-face with the fatal torment of Jesus Christ. A torment that began in the garden of Gethsemane following the emotional Last Supper of Holy Thursday. That night Jesus was betrayed by Judas, disowned by Peter, and arrested by the temple guard. Before Caiaphas the high priest, he was mocked, beaten, and spat upon. The next morning Jesus—battered, bruised, and bleeding—was stripped and subjected to the brutality of Roman flogging, reducing his body to quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh. As Christ slumped into the pool of his own blood, soldiers threw a scarlet robe across his shoulders, thrust a scepter into his hands, and pressed sharp thorns into his scalp. After they mocked him, they took the scepter and repeatedly struck him on the head. A heavy wooden beam was thrust upon his bleeding body and he was led away to a place called Golgotha. There, the Lord of Glory experienced ultimate physical torture in the form of the cross.Today as we remember the passion of Christ upon the cross, as we recall his dying words “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit” we are reminded that we too will breathe our last. Whether we are old or young, rich or poor, male or female, we light the sky for the briefest of moments. And then eternity. In the meantime, what we do today will have direct consequences for all eternity. Thus, while the culture seeks to focus your gaze on greatness, Christ rightly focuses your gaze on grace and godliness.

A homily delivery at St. Basil American Coptic Orthodox Church by Fr. Timothy Paul on April 14, 2023 (Great and Holy Friday)

Today's reading is taken fromSeason of Repentance: Lenten Homilies of St John of KronstadtISBN: 978-0-88465-384-4pp. 176 - 180More episodes at OrthodoxLife.org/podcast© 2021 Holy Trinity Monastery, Inc.

Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.” The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.” When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.” From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” So he delivered him over to them to be crucified.(English Standard Version)

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (04/07/23), Hank reaches the conclusion of the four-part argument for the resurrection of Jesus Christ, transformation. What happened as a result of the resurrection is unprecedented. In the span of a few hundred years, a small band of insignificant believers succeeded in turning an entire empire upside down. The Twelve—minus Judas, plus Paul—were radically revolutionized. Peter, once afraid of being exposed as a follower of Christ, became a lion of the faith. Paul, the ceaseless persecutor, became the chief proselytizer of the Gentiles. Within weeks of the resurrection, not just a few, but an entire community of thousands of Jews, willingly transformed the spiritual and sociological traditions underscoring their national identity. Of one thing Hank has become certain—if twenty-first-century Christians would grasp the reality of resurrection like first-century Christians did, their lives would be totally transformed.Today, Great and Holy Friday, “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” (Isaiah 53:5 NIV). As Theanthropos (God-Man), the spotless Lamb of God lived a perfectly sinless human life and died a sinner's death to sufficiently atone once for all for the sins of humanity. Isaiah not only foreshadows the death of Christ but His resurrection as well. Isaiah prophetically looks forward toward the resurrection of “a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering” as the earnest of our resurrection on the last day. “After the suffering of his soul,” says Isaiah, “he will see the light of life and be satisfied.” In like fashion, our bodies will be resurrected from the dust of the ground. Jesus, who fulfills the entire mosaic of Old Testament resurrection prophecies left no doubt about this coming resurrection: “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned” (John 5:28-29 NIV). If Christ had not himself been resurrected, the promise that he will resurrect dry bones in scattered graves would be as empty as the tomb guaranteeing its fulfillment.

Friends of the Rosary: Today, the faithful mourn the death of Christ Jesus. We observe the "Celebration of the Lord's Passion." It's a sad, solemn day of mourning, spent in fasting, abstinence, and prayer. We try to find ways to slow down and practice contemplation by participating in the devotions and liturgy, while we restrict ourselves from outside entertainment, TV, music, and social media, as a way to avoid distractions from the spirit of the day. Families can gather to pray the rosary, Stations of the Cross, the Divine Mercy chaplet, and meditative reading and prayers on the passion of Christ. The title for this day varies in different parts of the world: "Holy Friday" for Latin and Spanish nations; "Good Friday" for Anglo and Dutch countries as a variation of the term "God's Friday." According to the Church's tradition, during the liturgy, the sacraments are not celebrated on Holy Friday nor Holy Saturday. The altar is completely bare, with no clothes, candles, or cross. The service is divided into three parts: Liturgy of the Word, Veneration of the Cross, and Holy Communion. The liturgy starts with the priests and deacons going to the altar and prostrating themselves in silent prayer. We hear the Suffering Servant passages from Isaiah (52:13-53:12), Psalm 30, "Father, I put my life in your hands," the Epistle to the Hebrews, 4:14-16; 5:7-9, and the Gospel Reading is the Passion of St. John. Ten intercessions conclude the Liturgy of the Word. For the Church For the Pope For the clergy and laity of the Church For those preparing for baptism For the unity of Christians For the Jewish people For those who do not believe in Christ For those who do not believe in God For all in public office For those in special need In the second part of the liturgy we venerate and kiss the wooden cross "on which hung the Savior of the world." In part three, the Blessed Sacrament is brought to the altar from the place of reposition. The Our Father and the Ecce Agnus Dei ("This is the Lamb of God") are recited. The congregation receives Holy Communion. During this Holy Friday, we take time to look at a crucifix, whether in our church or home, thinking of its significance. On the cross is the savior of the world. Christ died so we might be forgiven and set free to live. The love of Christ is shown on the cross, to set us free, enjoying the freedom of being a child of God. By the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. For by your Holy Cross, you have set us free. Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You! + Mikel A. | RosaryNetwork.com, New York • April 7, 2023, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, reflects on the meaning of Great and Holy Friday of Eastern Orthodox Holy Week. On this day, the Church is brought face to face with the fatal torment of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As the chill of death crept through His body, our Lord cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” These shocking, devastating words harken back to the words of Psalm 22. “I am poured out like water, all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within Me. My strength is dried up, My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth….a band of evil men have encircled Me; they have pierced My hands and My feet. I can count all my bones. People stare, they gloat over Me. They divide my garments among them and they cast lots for my clothing.” Christ's emptying is our filling. As we emerge from a worldwide pandemic, a time of suffering, despair and death, we are reminded to think back to God's past faithfulness in Christ—we are assured that He is faithful in the midst of our present circumstances. And that we will be, in the words of King David, “delivered and not disappointed.” The cry of Christ from the cross forever highlights the stark contrast between emotional despair and absolute trust in God's eternal faithfulness. Today, we remember the Passion of the Christ upon the cross—the Lamb of God who takes away of the sin of the world.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (04/22/22), Hank picks up his overview of the days of Holy Week, arriving at Holy Friday, the day a united Church is brought face-to-face with the fatal torment of Jesus Christ. A torment that began in the garden of Gethsemane following the emotional Last Supper of Holy Thursday. That night Jesus was betrayed by Judas, disowned by Peter, and arrested by the temple guard. Before Caiaphas the high priest, he was mocked, beaten, and spat upon. The next morning Jesus—battered, bruised, and bleeding—was stripped and subjected to the brutality of Roman flogging, reducing his body to quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh. As Christ slumped into the pool of his own blood, soldiers threw a scarlet robe across his shoulders, thrust a scepter into his hands, and pressed sharp thorns into his scalp. After they mocked him, they took the scepter and repeatedly struck him on the head. A heavy wooden beam was thrust upon his bleeding body and he was led away to a place called Golgotha. There, the Lord of glory experienced ultimate physical torture in the form of the cross.Today as we remember the passion of the Christ upon the cross, as we recall his dying words “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit” we are reminded that we too will breathe our last. Whether we are old or young, rich or poor, male or female, we light the sky for the briefest of moments. And then eternity. In the meantime, what we do today will have direct consequences for all eternity. Thus, while the culture seeks to focus your gaze on greatness, Christ rightly focuses your gaze on grace and godliness.

The Holy Symeon was bishop of the royal cities of Seleucia and Ctesiphon in Persia, during a great persecution under King Sapor II. The king had been incited by (Zoroastrian) Magi jealous of the growth of the Faith in their territory, and by some Jews living in Persia. The king was already displeased with the holy bishop: his eunuch, Ustazan, a secret Christian, had denied Christ, but when reprimanded by Symeon, had confessed the Faith before the King, for which he was executed. On Holy Friday of 343 Symeon, along with at least a hundred other servants of the Church, was sent out to be slain. Symeon exhorted each to be of good courage, and was himself slain last. One year later, again on Holy Friday, the King's eunuch Azat was executed for Christ, along with a great number of the faithful. It is said that more than 1,000 Christians died as martyrs during this persecution

The Holy Symeon was bishop of the royal cities of Seleucia and Ctesiphon in Persia, during a great persecution under King Sapor II. The king had been incited by (Zoroastrian) Magi jealous of the growth of the Faith in their territory, and by some Jews living in Persia. The king was already displeased with the holy bishop: his eunuch, Ustazan, a secret Christian, had denied Christ, but when reprimanded by Symeon, had confessed the Faith before the King, for which he was executed. On Holy Friday of 343 Symeon, along with at least a hundred other servants of the Church, was sent out to be slain. Symeon exhorted each to be of good courage, and was himself slain last. One year later, again on Holy Friday, the King's eunuch Azat was executed for Christ, along with a great number of the faithful. It is said that more than 1,000 Christians died as martyrs during this persecution

Friends of the Rosary: Today, Holy Friday, or Good Friday of the Lord's Passion, the Church mourns the death of Jesus Christ. This is traditionally a day of sadness, spent in fasting and prayer. It's the celebration of the Lord's Passion, a mass celebrated around three o'clock, where we venerate and kiss the wooden Cross. On this solemn day, we can pray in addition to the Rosary, the Stations of the Cross, or the Divine Mercy. Ave Maria! Jesus, I Trust In You! [ Second Year Anniversary | In the Memory of María Blanca ] + Mikel A. | RosaryNetwork.com, New York • April 15, 2021, Today's Holy Rosary on YouTube — Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET • Audio Podcast of this Rosary Available Here Now! • In Memoriam of Maria Blanca: Testimonials

Many throughout the centuries have struggled with why Christ needed to die on the cross. Couldn't God simply forgive sin? Why did Christ have to suffer? On this Holy Friday we explore why God chose the cross to bring about his salvation plan for the world.

Holy Friday is also called "Good Friday," but why Good? The events of Holy Friday seem to be anything but good. Today's reflection looks at a bit of the history behind this name, potential other names, then turns to the full text of Holy Friday in the Gospel according to Mark. In this reflection you are invited to be the interpreter, the one offering your own interpretation and reflection. Phil makes an invitation to email him if you wish to discuss your reflection of the text, have questions about Mark's theological telling of the events of Holy Friday, or if you need space to process all this. Again, you can email Phil at pdieke@wrumc.org. He also refers to a book he has been using to guide his reflections. That book is called "The Last Week: What the Gospels Really Teach about Jesus's Final Days in Jerusalem" by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan. You can find the book here, or wherever books are sold. Blessings to you all on this Holy Friday.

Fr. Anthony rambles a bit about the most wonderful days of services of the entire year: Royal Hours of Pascha, Vespers of Holy Friday, Matins of Holy Saturday, and the First Resurrection Service of PASCHA (Vesperal Liturgy).

He was born at Ephesus around the year 70. St Irenaeus of Lyons, his disciple, says that St Polycarp was 'a disciple of the Apostles and acquainted with those who had seen the Lord.' His parents died as martyrs, and he was given into the care of a devout lady named Callista. As a child, the Saint was so eager to follow the commandments of Christ that he repeatedly emptied his foster-mother's pantry to feed the poor. Since her supplies were always miraculously renewed, Callista changed his name from Pancratius to Polykarpos, meaning 'Much fruit.'   When grown, Polycarp became a disciple of St John the Theologian, and in time became Bishop of Smyrna; it is told that the messages to the Church at Smyrna in the Book of Revelation are addressed to St Polycarp and his flock. He knew St Ignatius of Antioch personally, and some of their correspondence is preserved.   Polycarp led his Church in holiness for more than fifty years, and became known throughout the Christian world as a true shepherd and standard-bearer of the Faith. About the year 154 he traveled to Rome and consulted with Pope Anacletus on the defense of the Faith.   Not long after he returned to Smyrna, a fierce persecution was unleashed against Christians in Asia Minor; along with many others, St Polycarp was arrested, having predicted his imminent martyrdom. (The account of his martyrdom that follows is based on eyewitness accounts gathered immediately after his death.)   On the evening of Holy Friday, soldiers burst into the farmhouse where he was staying. The Bishop welcomed them cheerfully, and ordered that a meal be prepared for them. He was granted some time to pray, and for two hours stood commemorating everyone that he had known and praying for the Church throughout the world. His captors sorrowed that they had come to take such a venerable man, and reluctantly took him to the Proconsul. When urged to deny Christ and save his life, the aged Saint replied, 'For eighty-six years I have been his servant, and he has wronged me in nothing; how can I blaspheme my King and Savior?' Told that he would die by fire if he did not apostatize, Polycarp replied 'You threaten me with a fire that burns for a short time and then goes out, while you know nothing of the fire of the judgment to come and of the everlasting torment awaiting the wicked. Why wait any longer? Do what you will!'   Placed on the pyre, Polycarp lifted his eyes heavenward and gave thanks to God for finding him worthy to share with the holy Martyrs of the cup of Christ. When he had said his Amen, the executioners lit the fire. The eyewitnesses write that the fire sprang up around him like a curtain, and that he stood in its midst glowing like gold and sending forth a delightful scent of incense. Seeing that the fire was not harming him, the executioners stabbed him with a sword. His blood flowed so copiously that it put out the fire, and he gave back his soul to God. His relics were burned by the persecutors, but Christians rescued a few fragments of bone, which were venerated for many generations on the anniversary of his repose.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (04/30/21), Hank picks up his overview of the days of Holy Week, arriving at Holy Friday, the day a united Church is brought face-to-face with the fatal torment of Jesus Christ. A torment that began in the garden of Gethsemane following the emotional Last Supper of Holy Thursday. That night Jesus was betrayed by Judas, disowned by Peter, and arrested by the temple guard. Before Caiaphas the high priest, he was mocked, beaten, and spat upon. The next morning Jesus—battered, bruised, and bleeding—was stripped and subjected to the brutality of Roman flogging, reducing his body to quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh. As Christ slumped into the pool of his own blood, soldiers threw a scarlet robe across his shoulders, thrust a scepter into his hands, and pressed sharp thorns into his scalp. After they mocked him, they took the scepter and repeatedly struck him on the head. A heavy wooden beam was thrust upon his bleeding body and he was led away to a place called Golgotha. There, the Lord of glory experienced ultimate physical torture in the form of the cross.Today as we remember the passion of the Christ upon the cross, as we recall his dying words “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit” we are reminded that we too will breathe our last. Whether we are old or young, rich or poor, male or female, we light the sky for the briefest of moments. And then eternity. In the meantime, what we do today will have direct consequences for all eternity. Thus, while the culture seeks to focus your gaze on greatness, Christ rightly focuses your gaze on grace and godliness.