In today’s reading, we find out who many people really are. We start off in the garden of Gethsemane where Jesus so many times brought his disciples to pray. We learn who Judas is. As a disciple, he is present at the moment of arrest but on the unexpected side of the discipleship. Peter is on the right side. But did he really think that cutting off Malchus’ ear was going to help things? Jesus responds with compassion and patience and lovingly stops Peter from hurting any one else. Then I see fear in the soldiers, the tribune and the Jewish guards. How afraid must they have been of this man that it took so many to arrest the one?

As I recall previous experiences of today’s holy day, I can’t help but recall the “crying Veronica”. As a faithful follower, we believe that she wipes the tears off Jesus’ face and his “true image” stays behind on her cloth. Her name is not even mentioned in any of the gospels. Yet many don’t recall the way to the cross without recalling her embrace and loving care for Jesus at his worst. Tradition teaches that the Shroud of Turin still holds today and has healed many faithful ones through the centuries. The pain and suffering of Jesus becomes healing for so many with the help of a single courageous woman.

In the gospel, Peter and one other disciple are following closely behind through the arrest. The unnamed disciple goes in, but not Peter! Such a loved friend and now in time of trouble, he stays further behind each time. At first, he is ready to fight for Jesus. But when asked, he can’t even profess that he IS a follower.

We don’t learn much about the unnamed disciple. Yet he stands with Mary at the cross. Jesus reinforces his love and asks them to take care of the other. We are supposed to place ourselves at this scene and to trust with the help of Mary for better things.

This gospel reminds me of the fickleness of the human heart and the loving and compassionate response of God. Judas is forever known as “the traitor” but Peter denied Jesus three times. Yet God remained faithful to Jesus’ request. He turned all the unbearable suffering to the point of death and offers us everlasting life.

Bio: Rosa Jimenez earned a Master’s Degree with a Certificate in Catechesis from the University of Notre Dame’s Echo: Faith Formation Leadership Program in 2008. She presently serves in the Archdiocese of Chicago as a DRE. She visited Rome and Assisi, Italy in 2007 and hopes to return by the next Jubilee Year.

Mary Daly, a feminist theologian who taught at Boston College died recently. She was a fierce woman… she was a character! By way of example, in reference to herself and people’s perception of her, she said: “There are and will be those who think I have gone overboard. Let them rest assured that this assessment is correct, probably beyond their wildest imagination, and that I will continue to do so.”

I love this quote for so many reasons – one of those reasons being that it reminds me of Good Friday… of Jesus… of the cross. It reminds me of how extraordinarily grateful I am for the cross and how frightened I am of the cross. Bottom line – it seems to me that the cross stands as an outrageous example of going overboard. One of the compelling dimensions of today’s Gospel from John is how many opportunities Jesus is given to “not go overboard.” Pilate practically begs Jesus NOT to go overboard., for God’s sake, so to speak. But Jesus will have none of it: He is going overboard in the name of love; He is going overboard to redeem love; He is going overboard to absorb violence into love. That is why I love Mary Daly’s quote… Good Friday, Jesus, The Cross.

And of course, that is why I am so frightened… It seems to me that Jesus may not want to be overboard by himself. My hunch is that he invites us, begs us to go overboard with him… to go “too far” in the name of Love.

Bio: Dr. Terry Nelson-Johnson is director of faith formation at Old St. Patrick’s Church. For 18 years, he was on the faculty of Loyola Academy. He holds a doctorate in ministry from the Univ. of St. Mary of the Lake.