Good Friday message: Stay firm in face of suffering, says Pune’s Bishop Dabre

Dabre goes on to add that in the ultimate analysis, it is the act of supreme freedom on the part of Jesus

Bishop of Pune Thomas Dabre in his message for Good Friday asked people to remain firm in the midst of suffering.

Thomas Dabre, Bishop of St Patrick's Cathedral (Shankar Narayan/HT PHOTO)

Dabre said, the biblical narrative of Jesus’ final journey is the most poignant and moving account of his agony and anguish. “The crucifixion was the most shameful and degrading punishment the Romans inflicted on slaves, lower strata of society and foreigners. That rational human beings can descend to such levels of de-humanising cruelty and heartlessness sends a chill through one’s spine; it stuns and stupefies us,” he said.

Dabre goes on to add that in the ultimate analysis, it is the act of supreme freedom on the part of Jesus. His inner dispositions were decided by him in total personal freedom. He was serene, at peace and unshaken. He was positive and well-disposed even towards his heartless assailants, his enemies, towards life and indeed all humanity. There was no rancour, anger, revenge, retaliation, bitterness and hatred in Jesus. Jesus did not play into the hands of the satanic forces. He continued to be himself, without being pessimistic.

Such is the character of authentic human beings. They do not allow others to dictate terms to themselves. People like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and John F Kennedy, and other martyrs like them won and not their misguided and ambitious attackers.

The death of Jesus represents the victory of good over evil; of truth over lies and falsehoods and of love over hate. The crucifixion of Jesus was a sacrifice for the well-being and salvation of mankind, concluded Dabre.