Thoughts from St. Andrew's Episcopal Church • Birmingham, AL

Good Friday Friday, April 10, 2020

Friday, April 10, 2020 Good Friday

Old Testament: Isaiah 52:13-53:12

New Testament: Hebrews 10:16-25

or Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9

Gospel: John 18:1-19:42

Psalm 22

Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP 221)

Good Friday is not the end of the story. 

We know that Easter is coming bringing resurrection. I wonder if that knowledge doesn’t lead us into the theological trap of thinking that Jesus is only present with us somewhere in the future instead of right now or that we have to endure pain or sorrow or despair alone. Perhaps, the best way to understand the message of this day when Jesus “was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross” is to try to forget that we know Sunday is coming.

Those who witnessed the events of the Passion could only have known despair. As far as they knew, that Friday was the end. Their hope had been nailed to a Roman cross. Uncomfortable as it my be, entering into the grief of Mary the Mother of Our Lord, the Beloved Disciple, Mary Magdalene, Joseph of Arimathea, and Peter rather than jumping ahead to the joy of the resurrection can teach a valuable lesson. On the worst days we can imagine, during our most painful experiences, Christ draws especially near to suffer with us, to grieve with us, even to angrily pray the Psalms with us crying out as often as necessary, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Jesus has been where we are, and his presence makes all the difference. He sustains us. He helps us to endure. He teaches us to hope even on the worst day. Above all, the presence of the Risen Christ reminds us of the one thing that it may be easiest to forget when all we can see is grief, pain, anger, and despair. 

Good Friday is not the end of the story.  

The Rev. Jeff Evans