Good Friday

"The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace. . . They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. It was the third hour when they crucified him. At the sixth hour, darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' " [Mark 15: 16-17, 33-34]

I always wondered why we call it "Good" Friday? After all, it is the total opposite of "Good". It is the darkest day, and these are the darkest hours of our lives as Christians. Even during the crucifixion, "darkness came over the whole land", as if the whole world knew that this was the bleakest of times.

On Good Friday, I feel somber and dark. As if my best friend died. Really, it is like that, isn't it? Our Best Friend has died.

I remember I went to church services on Good Friday when I was about 14. The church was dimly lit and very quiet. There were candles at the altar. The massive cross on the altar was draped in sheer black fabric. I had entered a deathly place, a sacred funeral .

How is it that the day that Jesus died can possibly be "good"? Why?  Because, in this case, "good" means Holy. When I realized this, I had a shock of recognition. Of course, this day is Holy, because it is the day that our "Best Friend" gave to us the ultimate sacrifice, the gift of his own life.

It IS a Holy day. It is also a day full of irony. Not only do I feel sad, I feel sort of shocked and even a bit horrified. Here is Jesus, the Son of God, dressed in purple, the color of royalty. This feels right. But his crown is made of thorns, which can scratch and tear one's skin. And he is mocked and spat upon. He is hung next to two common criminals. How can the Son of God be treated so horribly?

I am deeply hurt at this mockery and at the violence of Jesus' death. The way you would feel sick at heart over the violent death of your best friend. This is how the disciples must have felt: shocked, hurt, even terrified at the anger of the crowd.

And full of doubt that anything good could ever come from this.

And especially despairing when Jesus cries out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" I have felt this way myself at times, when I am in such a dark place that I cannot possibly see how what is happening can be part of God's plan.

But it is another thing entirely when the Son of God can fall into that dark place of despair. Jesus is supposed to save US from that dark place.

And yet we see in that moment how fully human that Jesus is. He can comfort us perfectly when we enter that dark place. He does not just know of it, he has traveled through it himself. For us!

There is hope in Good Friday, though!  We know the rest of the story, the next chapter that comes with Easter and the Resurrection. This is the glorious moment that the disciples cannot yet see!

Jesus, even in my darkest hours, may I understand that you have suffered for me and that you willingly sacrificed your life for me, so that someday I may be lifted up to you!

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