A Word for Good Friday

Today is Good Friday—a day to remember the suffering that Jesus endured to reconcile us to God. And because the events of this day are so central to the Big Story of the Bible, there are so many different passages that speak to its meaning. The prophet Isaiah, for example, describes how Jesus “was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was placed upon him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Is. 53:5). First Peter reminds us “that it wasn’t with perishable things that we were redeemed…but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Pet. 1:18-19). And the psalms foretell the cry of Jesus from the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Ps. 22:1 and Mt. 27:46)

But there’s a poem that invites us to consider our role in the events of this day. And it goes like this:

It was on Friday that they ended it all.

Of course, they didn’t do it one by one.

     They weren’t brave enough for that.

They did it in crowds…in crowds where you can feel safe

     and lose yourself and shout things
     you would never shout on your own.

It was a crowd in the church that did it,

     and a crowd in the government that did it,

     and a crowd in the street that did it,

     and a crowd on the hill that did it.

And he said nothing.

He took the insults, the bruises,
     the spit in the face, the whip on his back,
     and the curses in his ears.

He took the sight of his friends turning away,
     running away.

And he said nothing.

He let them do their worst until their worst was done,
     as on Friday they ended it all.

And they would have finished themselves
     had he not cried, “Father, forgive them….”

And so, the revolution began.

(“It Was on Friday,” from Stages on the Way,

     The Iona Community Wild Goose Worship Group)

May God’s revolution continue in us, as remember his death and receive his life. Amen.