There once was a man named George Thomas, pastor in a small New England town. One Good Friday morning he came to the Church carrying a rusty, bent, old bird cage, and set it by the pulpit. Eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, Pastor Thomas began to speak..."I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright. I stopped the lad and asked, "What you got there, son?" "Just some old birds," came the reply. "What are you going to do with them?" I asked. "Take them home and have fun with them," he answered. "I'm going to tease them and pull out their feathers to make them fight. I'm going to have a real good time" "But you'll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do?" "Oh, I got some cats," said the little boy. "They like birds. I'll let them be eaten by the cats." The pastor was silent for a moment. "How much do you want for those birds, son?" "Huh??!!! Why, do you want those birds, mister? They're just plain old field birds. They don't sing. They aren’t even pretty!" "How much?" the pastor asked again. The boy sized up the pastor as if he were crazy and said, "$10?" The pastor reached in his pocket and took out a ten-dollar bill. He placed it in the boy's hand. In a flash, the boy was gone. The pastor picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot setting the cage down, he opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting them free. Well, that explained the empty bird cage on the pulpit, and then the pastor began to tell this story.
One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting. "Yes, sir, I just caught the world full of people down there. Set me trap, used bait I knew they couldn't resist. Got them all!".”What are you going to do with them?" Jesus asked. Satan replied, "Oh, I'm going to have fun! I'm going to teach them how to marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to drink and smoke and curse. I'm going to teach them how to invent guns and bombs and kill each other. I'm really going to have fun!" "And what will you do when you get done with them?" Jesus asked. "Oh, I'll kill them," Satan glared proudly. "How much do you want for them?" Jesus asked "Oh, you don't want those people. They aren’t any good. Why, you'll take them and they'll just hate you. They'll spit on you, curse you and kill you. You don't want those people!!" "How much?" He asked again. Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, "All your blood, tears and your life." Jesus said, "DONE!" Then He paid the price. The pastor picked up the cage he opened the door and he walked from the pulpit.
Seven hundred years before the birth of Christ, Prophets foretold about the suffering and death of the future Messiah. We read in the Bible, The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I turned not backward. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I hid not my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been confounded; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. (Is. 50: 5-7) Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole 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 him the 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 dumb, so he opened not his mouth. (Is. 53: 4–7) You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamp without blemish or spot. He was destined before the foundation of the world but was made manifest at the end of the times for your sake. Through him you have confidence in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. (1 Pt. 1: 18-21) For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you and example that you should follow in his steps. He committed no sin; no guile was found on his lips. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he trusted to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. (1 Pt. 2: 21-24) Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Is. 55: 6-7)
On this Good Friday let us surrender our lives to Jesus, the Savior of the world who is able to save us from sin and death. Let us return to him with humble and contrite hearts, acknowledging our sinfulness. Jesus said, “I have not come to condemn the world but to save the world.” Again he said, “I have not come to call the virtuous but sinners.” We all have sinned. We all need to repent and change our ways so that we may have life and life in abundance.
Dr. Davis George, Principal, St. Aloysius College (Autonomous), Jabalpur 482001. Accredited A+ by NAAC, College with Potential for Excellence. www.staloysiuscollege.ac.in E-mail: dgeorge55@gmail.com
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