Good Friday, March 29, 2024
Is 52:13-53:12; Ps 31:2,6, 12-13, 15-17, 25; Heb 4:14-16, 5:7-9; Jn 18:1-19:42
Today is Good Friday, a day of bittersweet sorrow. The day our Lord sacrifices Himself on the cross. Good Friday for me has always brought back a memory of something that happened to me when I was young. I was sitting in church, note: a really old country church that only held about 100 people, listening to Christ’s Passion being read. Suddenly I felt something crawling down my neck. Unbeknownst to me, several wasps had landed on the back of my neck. I found out when I reached around to feel what it was. One of the wasps stung me several times. The other one fell on the floor, and I began to stomp on it rather loudly. I also screamed out in pain from being stung on my neck. The one on the floor flew up my pant leg and started stinging me on my leg. By now I had jumped up and was wildly thrashing around trying to kill the two wasps. I had no idea but the entire church was now enthralled in my agony. I don’t know who did it, but somebody came to my rescue and killed the two wasps. I had about a half dozen stings and since I was allergic to bee stings, my Mom quickly whisked me out of there and straight to the ER. Thankfully I did not have a reaction, and with some ointment, the pain subsided. I never did finish hearing Christ’s passion that day, but I guess the pastor told everyone after I left that, I didn’t need to hear it that day, God provided a different way for me to experience it! I learned two things that day, One, I was not allergic to wasp stings, and two, this is not the way one should participate in Christ’s Passion.
My experience on that day has carried over into my adulthood. It always makes me think harder about how Christ suffered for us on the cross. It kind of takes away that dark shadow that is cast over us all week long leading up to Christ’s Resurrection on Easter Sunday. But instead, reminds me we do not have to dwell on that darkness. We can choose to focus in on what our Lord has done for us, by dying on the cross and saving us from damnation. Yes, we still need to atone for our sins, but Christ’s death opens the door to our salvation, that hope we have to spend eternity with him in heaven. That is why today, Good Friday is so bittersweet. We are sad that Jesus died, but are happy he died for us, so we can be saved.
Sometime today, or maybe Saturday morning, spend some time, re-reading and meditating on Christ’s Passion. Grab a piece of paper and something to write with. Be prepared to write down what comes to mind. Then, put yourself into the scene. Listen to what is being said by slowly reading through the passages. Pause here and there to think about what was just said, and by whom. What do they mean? Who else heard it? What could they be thinking? What does it mean for me? Smell the smells, hear the sounds.
It was all quiet in the garden when suddenly it was interrupted by an approaching crowd. Imagine the chaos going on as they dragged Jesus away. Now you are by the gate at the temple, you are tired, cold, and afraid. “Hey, you’re one of them, aren’t you?” “Get away, you yell. I don’t know the man!” How easily we forget. “Crucify Him!” the crowd yells. What should I do, you think. Everyone is pressing in, yelling and screaming. It is so chaotic and frightening. You follow Him as he drags the cross to Golgotha. Think back on the Stations of the Cross you meditated on during Lent. All the times Jesus stumbled and fell. When He looked you right in the eye, with love through the pain and blood as it poured over His face. What is He saying to you? Write it down.
Now they have Him on the hill, and they laid Him out and stretched out His hands. Listen to the sound of the hammer hitting the nails as they nail Jesus, and others to the wood. What else do you hear? The robbers on either side screaming out in pain? What about Jesus, what does he do?
Are you a crowd gatherer mocking Jesus, or are you a follower in pain, trying to understand what is happening? Oh, the stench of death, the smell of rotting flesh. Are you a centurion, wondering when this will be all over so you can go home to your family? Who is this guy anyway? Why are so many crying in agony for Him? What the heck did He do anyway?
It is not a pretty sight. His mother Mary and Mary of Magdala are at His feet crying, and the one disciple He loved was there as well. “Women, behold your Son,” He says. “Behold, your mother.” What are you feeling right now? Betrayal? Fear? Anguish? Write it down so you can look at it later.
Jesus has now died, and they take Him down from the cross. What a tragedy this is, there was no reason this man had to die. Now He is laid in a tomb. He is gone. Everyone goes home, not sure what to do next.
Mediate on the passion reading some more. Read it again if you need to. Write down everything you thought of. Spend time with Jesus our Lord in His final hour. He did this for you, he did this out of love.
Saint James Catholic Church 