In his Good Friday homily Archbishop Patrick Kelly invited us to come with him to Jerusalem 2000 years ago to Behold the Man, the I Am, who is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is the One who through the love mercy and compassion poured out upon the cross brings healing, peace and reconciliation to every human person.
Pointing to the example of Bernadette Soubirous, Archbishop Kelly highlighted how God works among the poor, the lowly and the humble, grains of wheat, to reveal the power of his transforming love.
He looked to the teaching of Pope Benedict who said: “God is love… not an idea, not an ethical choice but the encounter with an event, a person which gives life a new horizon and decisive direction.” And to Pope Francis who echoed this very truth: “I will never get tired of repeating those words of Benedict XVI which lead us to the very centre of the Gospel. In other words: with one voice, rooted in one faith Benedict and Francis acclaim: Behold the Man.
Archbishop Kelly concluded his homily with an exhortation: ‘So in communion with Francis our pope, at one with every minister of the Joy of the Gospel, who has surrendered their heart to the pierced heart of Mary’s and God’s Son, Archbishop Bernard, from the very depth of his being will declare: “Behold the Wood of the Cross: Behold the Lamb of God.” That is: Behold the Man. We shall stumble creep our way forward and kiss and adore and be healed.
To read Archbishop Kelly’s homily in full please click here: Archbishop Pat Kelly – Good Friday Homily 2015