Good Friday

Another version of Jesus doing the will of HIs Father in Heaven - it is Good Friday.

Good Friday ~ 4/7/2023

Well, we have made it this far on our Lenten, Passion journey.  The last steps can be the hardest, though.  It’s hard for some to understand exactly why we call today, “Good Friday”, when Jesus was treated so horribly.  It is because Good triumphed over horrific Evil – the tomb could not stop Him from doing the work of His Father in Heaven, and we can now look forward to salvation in Heaven with Jesus, if we too, are obedient to the Father’s will.

As we read the Passion story one last time, today, we know the ending . . . that joy will come, but first Jesus must die.  We learn that He didn’t just die – He breathed His last breath, the curtain of the temple was torn in half and “The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised.”  (Matthew 27:52)  This was no ordinary life; this was no ordinary death . . . it wasn’t really death at all.

Have you ever been to a concert or sports game, when you had to spend time in a really long line awaiting the doors/gates to open?  Could you even imagine having died and waiting in what was called by some, ‘limbo’/Hades/Sheol?  You weren’t in Hell necessarily, not condemned to Hell for eternity for evil works, but heaven wasn’t ready for you, yet. Jesus, in whatever form of life after death, still alive - won liberation for these souls.  This is why it is Good Friday!  He won the liberation for our souls also!

Jesus’ whole life, at least the public ministry years, turned the world upside down.  His death, even more so. 

As we make our preparations for our Easter Vigil or Easter Sunday celebrations, it is my hope that any of the setbacks from Lent, any of the unfulfilled desires of the past 40 days of preparation, that you leave them at a symbolic place – offer them up as unfulfilled for now, and, prepare to commemorate the Passion and celebrate the Resurrection this weekend. 

Monday morning starts Easter Week, you can still revisit your Lenten goals, which ideally are lifelong changes to habits - positive new ones or deleting negative ones.  And, begin anew!  Bring a clean heart to Jesus and see what He asks of you.

Good Friday Blessings.