Good Friday

What's so good about Good Friday? I used to think, "What an oxymoron to call this particular Friday good. The day that we remember the horrific death of the Son of Man...good just doesn't seem to fit."

We live in a TGIF culture. Friday usually holds a very special place in the patterns of our everyday lives. All kinds of people participate in eucharist on Friday, that is to say they "give thanks." To whom and with what level of sincerity is a question for another day. But, this Friday of all the Fridays in the year - good?

Giving thanks and calling any other Friday "good" seems quite natural. It is a great day of the week. The stresses begin to lift and we prepare for the rythm of rest and relaxation. Yet, God is still working on the Sabbath - and here the work is that of obedience, suffering, and death. Good?

The paradox of the cross confronts us...it just doesn't make sense. And in the confounding confusion, we're exposed. We want to hide away the brokenness and violence deep within the human heart...we'd rather ignore it or call it something else, like human nature or even justice - but the cross doesn't give us that option. Our condition is exposed - we're enemies of God. Good Friday?

How can we call the death of Christ, our Mediator, good? It certainly didn't seem like a good day to those initial witnesses. Were they next? It doesn't make sense - we thought he would be the one to redeem Israel. I still struggle with the simplicity and depth of it all.

This is not a day to celebrate, is it? In the traditional liturgy communion isn't served on this day...because it is a day of mourning not a day of thanksgiving. No TGIF today. However, we are going to serve communion in our service today - it's Good Friday. Lament and mourning is important - we shouldn't quickly pass over those for the celebration of Easter, yet at times I think the traditional worship practices missed something here. This is the year of Luke's witness...but in John's account it all took place on the day of preparation for the Passover - "Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." He is our Paschal Lamb, He is the Bread of Life, He is the Good Shepherd.

If it wasn't for Sunday, we wouldn't call this Good Friday...but Sunday happened and all brokenness - all God-forsakenness is healed by the obedience of our Mediator. I still think that it's an oxymoron to call this Good Friday, but I no longer see that as a negative thing. That is the beauty of the truth, it is paradox - a deep Mystery that we are invited to enter. The way is opened by the parabolic movement of God's love in Christ and we are swept up by the Spirit to participate in the life of God. Like I said, it's deep...it's mysterious...it's life. There is mourning, lament, thanksgiving, and praise all wrapped up together because it's Good Friday.

Do you hear the call? "Come, follow me." We too must walk the way of Good Friday to experience the "deep magic" (as Aslan would say) of the resurrection. Lord, make us faithful.