Homily - Good Friday

Homily for Good Friday, March 29, 2002.

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael and took every chance to add to it until it was the envy of collectors around the world. In the great hall of their beautiful mansion the paintings lined the walls and followed the great curving staircases up each side. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.

When war broke out, the son went off to do his duty, not carrying a gun, but wearing a red cross on his sleeve and helping those wounded in battle. The father’s great wealth could have protected his son from service but he knew he must do what was right and so he let him go. The son was very courageous and the day came when he died in battle while rescuing another soldier.

The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son and his collection was not the same comfort to him as it had been. Some months later, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands wrapped in plain brown paper. He said, “Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when the bullet struck him that took his life. He often talked about you, and your love for art.”

The young man held out his package and said, “I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.”

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. The young man was right, he was not an accomplished artist. The colours were simple and the brush strokes were rough and rudimentary, but he stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting, his cheerfulness and joy of living. The father was so drawn to the eyes in the painting that his own eyes welled up with tears. It was as if his Son lived again and looked at him once more. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture.

“Oh, no sir!” said the young man, “I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift.”

In the great hall, there was a large marble column facing the doors and right between the two magnificent staircases with all their paintings. The father hung the portrait of his son right on the column. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son first, before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

Time passed and the wealthy man also died. There was to be a great auction of all his estate, especially the collection of paintings. Many influential people and art collectors gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their own collections.

On the auction platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel and said, “We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?”

Someone from the back of the room shouted, “We want to see the famous paintings; skip this one!”

But the auctioneer persisted, “Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?”

Another voice shouted angrily, “We didn't come to see this amateurish sentimental junk. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!”

But still the auctioneer continued, “The son, the son! Who'll take the son?”

There were more complaints but then finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son who was retiring now that the estate was to be sold. He remembered the happy young boy who grew into a kind and considerate man. He said, “I'll give $10 for the painting” (Being a poor man, it was all he could afford from his meager savings.)

“We have $10, who will bid 20?”

“Give it to him for $10!” shouted a bidder, “Let's see the masters!”

“$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?”

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel and shouted, “Going once, going twice, SOLD for $10!”

A man sitting on the second row shouted, “Now let's get on with the collection!”

The auctioneer laid down his gavel, shook his head and said, “I'm sorry, the auction is over.”

“What about the paintings?” they all cried!

“I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, the money, the mansion and all the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!”

God gave his Son 2,000 years ago knowing the sacrifice he would be called to make. The Son made that sacrifice, even as he prayed that he could be spared, and so he endured a death on the cruel cross to try to help us. Our young people are fasting today, suffering pangs of hunger to help them learn the real values in life, and they will sacrifice in other ways as they mature. We, as parents, must trust God and not try to shelter them from what they must do.

As Isaiah tells us, just like the painting, Jesus didn’t look like much, compared to the great rulers of the time. He didn’t accumulate wealth. He just brought the truth, and he brought salvation and every joy and every reward and every hope fulfilled we could ever want. He brings these things to those who would accept him and see with the eyes of faith. On Good Friday we mourn our loss but on Easter we see where the real power and wealth of God lies.

Unlike the wealthy man’s fortune, which could only be passed on to one, God’s reward and our salvation is available to all of us because you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.

- Deacon Steve