Dr. Phuveyib Dozo
A Good Friday Reflection
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]nother season of Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday is around for us to go deeper into the scriptural truth concerning the redemptive act of God. People do look at the killing of Jesus Christ from social, religious and political perspectives. But the simple truth is ‘fulfillment of the messianic prophecy’ (Is 53) for human salvation. True that the religious leaders and Roman authority merged and made an alliance to judge and crucify Jesus. God could have averted that subversive killing coalition. But His purpose in Christ is spiritual redemption of the world, no matter whatever way we interpret it.
The governor Pilate’s trouble was the issue of Truth. He asked ‘What is Truth?” in his judgment procedure with Jesus Christ, saying ‘I find no false in this man’ (John 18:38). That is everything. The man in whom Pilate found no false is Jesus Christ who said that He is the Truth, the Way and the Life. He asserted that He is the Truth that would set those who believe in him free (John 8:32, 36). There have been many who appeared as religious or mystic founders. But no one claimed to be the Truth. A man or a society that rotates on the orbit of the Truth will revolve towards right direction of its destiny. Our society suffers in the absence of the truth. Famine of truth multiplies and proliferates falsehood and increases vulgar social issues today. We know how to blame others but we fail to recognize that the epicenter of turbulence is yourself. The key issue is the Truth.
The Truth is what is untruth and false. Truth refers to honesty, right, correct, just, reality, and dependability. Bacteria and parasites that kill the truth are ‘cheap and easy mentality, expensive living without earning, power monger, falsification for favor, luring influence, hiding the truth for personal benefit, warning and threats, and suppression.’ Mathematically, Truth means 2+2=4 and not 3 or 5. Our society longs for honesty, truthfulness, justice, and incarnational attitude where truth plays its role without a compromise and a sacrifice at the altar of dishonesty. Biblically, man schemes but God’s will prevail (Prov 19:21; 14:34; 29:2 ) and people rejoice when righteousness thrives.As water has a source and as a river has a fountain, the source of truth is God. For the Christians, Jesus Christ is source of truth as He declared (John 14:6). Every religion says ‘God.’ But Christians forget Jesus Christ, Hindus forget Krishna, Muslims Allah, and Buddhists Buddha when the world glitters with offering in easy access. God is not a magical God, not a God for troubled time a lone either. The hardest time for the Israelites to follow the truth was when they were at ease with overwhelming temptations. Without the Truth, our life, our family, society and government will be like a dry river with leaky and sinking porous like Dead sea having inlets without outlets.
Everyone talks about freedom while we are enslaved to bondage of deliberate lies and dishonesty. The truth is reflected in trustworthiness, believability, and dependability. There will be true freedom when your heart is set free from bondage of liar, duplication, false words, and hidden and subversive agenda. Our Lord Jesus Christ told us that the Truth will set Us Free (John 8:32, 36) and we will be free indeed.
Watching, a boxer coming to the arena with colored and tattooed body of different designs, symbols, and images and paints escorted by his aides. The opponent coming in simple and clean body with his hand pointing towards heaven. The fight began with cheering supporters. The complex boxer began to deteriorate soon in the hand of the simple man. Inked skin or change of surface could not help him. It is not how much one shows up but the heart that God counts. We have many boxers like that guy today. Analogically, the truth will win and not what a maneuver complex, scheme of deception, twisting tactics, and what can cover you up or shield you. Dishonesty, fraud and deception have paralyzed the gift of our land. Truth must prevail and return. We long for leaders who can stand on the Holy Ground. We need revival of truth. To be a Christian is one thing but to be a Christian of truth is quite another thing. You say: “I can twist the fact because I am a politician, speaking more for us and less for others.” The issue of being politician, scientist or theologian does not arise in matter of Christian truth. The Bible tells us to deal with each other in truth (Eph 4:15). But the truth is thwarted by falsehood today. Let us welcome the Easter season with the following principles of Truth of Jesus Christ:
1. As the truth sets us free, we must transcend the principle of truth in our society.
2. As Jesus prayed for his persecutors, we must pray for friends unfavorable.
3. As we receive eternal life based on our faith, we must pass it on to others.
4. As Jesus rose again, our family, church, and society must renew and rise up.
