What's so good about it? Isn't this the day for Jesus' death on the Cross?
Yes, and that may be exactly why it's called Good Friday.
It wasn't originally. It was "God's Friday" or "Holy Friday" and has had several other names, but it's intent has always been clear, to mark the anniversary of Christ's death. The day has several traditions including "stripping the church" down to a bare altar table (that will display the Christ Candle from Christmas), a crown of thorns and a simple cross. Many other traditions include using black, dimmed lights or darkness in the worship, a tenebrae service (a sort-of reversal of the advent candles) that ends in the extinguising of the Christ candle and complete darkness to mimic the feeling of the day. It's a day meant to have a somber tone, even the music on this day are more like mourning and grief than celebration.
But why good?
As Christians we never are further than a half-week away from an Easter celebration. Each Sunday is a mini-Easter. So even in Holy Week we anticipate the great Celebration that is upon us. That old Sermon and phrase, "It's Friday, but Sunday's a comin'" holds firm and is the glimmer of light even on a dark Friday. We remember the death of Christ, even mourn his suffering while at the same time recognize Paul's word to us through the Church at Colossae,
"For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and by him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his blood on the cross. 21 This includes you who were once so far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions, 22 yet now he has brought you back as his friends. He has done this through his death on the cross in his own human body. As a result, he has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault." Colossians 1:19-22, NLT
So what does it mean for us today? We should temper our activites, read the story of the Passion, watch the film, attend Good Friday Services, maybe even fast for the day to recognize the acts of Jesus Christ just for you, and that means even if you were the only one, he still would have done it. This day is about God's Love for YOU!
This day is why we sing those strange lyrics "by his stripes we are healed", the "fountain filled with blood", "The Old Rugged Cross", "Nothing but the Blood" and dozens of others. It's because we want to remember; we NEED to remember...It's for US!
It's not just Good Friday...
...It's the Greatest Friday. It's Christ's Victory for You!
Peace ><>
pc
Friday, April 06, 2007
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Maundy (Holy) Thursday
The word is Maundy, not Monday. My daughter insisted it is Monday Thursday, which is just plain confusing. Then again, she speaks for many who misunderstand the title of the day.
Holy Thursday is the day we remember the Last full day of Jesus' ministry that is filled with action. John's Gospel (from where the term Maundy derives) has the events at a dinner prior to the Passover (which would have been on Friday instead of Thursday)but where Jesus was anointed, then he washed the disciples' feet. The term Maundy is from this event, "a new commandment I give to you..." or in latin, mandatum. It's a reference specifically to the washing of the feet, an act of servanthood Jesus performed and asks us to perform for each other. It's a true sign of a disciple becoming like Jesus.
Today is also remembered for the Last Supper, where Jesus shared the Passover Seder. He broke bread, prepared his disciples, then went out to the Mount of Olives to pray. He fell down at a large rock in the Garden of Gethsemane (above) and began to sweat great drops of blood. His prayer in the Synoptic Gospels says he prayed that "this cup might pass by him, yet not what I want but what you want." John's Gospel reveals much more about his prayer (chapter 17) where he prays for the strength of his followers in the days to come, Thanksgiving for the things God had accomplished, and for the future followers who would eventually believe and serve him. In other words, Jesus prayed for you in the Garden!
Like all of Holy Week, today is another day to remember. But we are not just to remember the things that happened, but also remember the why, the how, the impact it had and still has on our lives. To remember from the Biblical perspective is also to participate in it. The Passover liturgy says, "when we were in Egypt..." as participants of God's saving acts even now. It's exactly what we celebrate today in the Last Supper (Holy Communion/Eucharist), we are participating in the event.
God is still in the act of saving us and we are called, mandated (i.e.Maundy) to remember, to participate, to claim the very saving act of God for us in Jesus Christ. It's a great Holy Day. Immerse yourself in the story. Let Jesus' words speak to you,
"This is my blood of the New Covenant poured out for the forgiveness of sins. Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me."
It's the price he paid...
...for you!
Peace ><>
pc
Holy Thursday is the day we remember the Last full day of Jesus' ministry that is filled with action. John's Gospel (from where the term Maundy derives) has the events at a dinner prior to the Passover (which would have been on Friday instead of Thursday)but where Jesus was anointed, then he washed the disciples' feet. The term Maundy is from this event, "a new commandment I give to you..." or in latin, mandatum. It's a reference specifically to the washing of the feet, an act of servanthood Jesus performed and asks us to perform for each other. It's a true sign of a disciple becoming like Jesus.
Today is also remembered for the Last Supper, where Jesus shared the Passover Seder. He broke bread, prepared his disciples, then went out to the Mount of Olives to pray. He fell down at a large rock in the Garden of Gethsemane (above) and began to sweat great drops of blood. His prayer in the Synoptic Gospels says he prayed that "this cup might pass by him, yet not what I want but what you want." John's Gospel reveals much more about his prayer (chapter 17) where he prays for the strength of his followers in the days to come, Thanksgiving for the things God had accomplished, and for the future followers who would eventually believe and serve him. In other words, Jesus prayed for you in the Garden!
Like all of Holy Week, today is another day to remember. But we are not just to remember the things that happened, but also remember the why, the how, the impact it had and still has on our lives. To remember from the Biblical perspective is also to participate in it. The Passover liturgy says, "when we were in Egypt..." as participants of God's saving acts even now. It's exactly what we celebrate today in the Last Supper (Holy Communion/Eucharist), we are participating in the event.
God is still in the act of saving us and we are called, mandated (i.e.Maundy) to remember, to participate, to claim the very saving act of God for us in Jesus Christ. It's a great Holy Day. Immerse yourself in the story. Let Jesus' words speak to you,
"This is my blood of the New Covenant poured out for the forgiveness of sins. Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me."
It's the price he paid...
...for you!
Peace ><>
pc
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Holy Wednesday
You know that there are not enough days in holy week? It's true. If we are to discover the whole of the Good News, we need another couple of weeks (at least) to be Holy. But we'll do the best we can with the time we have because we have next year and the year after that!
It's Holy Wednesday, also known as Judas Day or "Spy" Wednesday. But I believe that's the wrong focus. O we should focus on Judas, but not because of his vilification, rather because we are more like him than we care to admit! We focus on Judas today because it shifts tomorrow to the Last Supper, Friday to the cross, the Sabbath and then Resurrection. So today is perfect to look at Judas.
Who is Judas? A faithful disciple, just like the rest. He was accepted by Jesus and by his peers. He was included in everything, every teaching, every miracle, every insider peek at the Kingdom of God that the rest were. So why do we readily set him aside as the villain in the story? Is it because of his betrayal? Be careful...
Who hasn't betrayed Jesus? Peter did even after he promised he never would, even going to death with him, for him, but he did...3 times! Judas did only once. Hmmmm...who's the villain now?
No, I'm not about to make Peter the bad guy, rather I'd like to portray Judas as one like the rest of us, he just caught up in the great tragedy of circumstance. In other words, his betrayal was a catalyst for God's greater purposes, not the downfall of the Kingdom. And there have been other betrayals that have done much more harm to the kingdom. In fact, the betrayals that happen today on a daily basis are much worse than his, and we mostly dismiss them out of hand with little or no thought to our own actions. Yes, we are as guilty as Judas, maybe even more so!
But the Good News for us is that even Jesus, though told us exactly how Judas would be viewed by history and the generations to come, also showed us exactly how he would treat all those who would betray him, with a hand-dipped piece of bread (Communion?). Yes, even in the midst of Judas' disappointment with Jesus (he desired a militant Messiah, taking over Israel and running out the Romans) and his betrayal, Jesus extended grace to him...
...and to us!
Like Judas we are disappointed in Jesus often. It's true! He doesn't do the things we want or expect sometimes. He leaves things undone in the stories and in our lives and we wonder why. We are disappointed with God as we read the vile and bloody stories of the Old Testament, we are disappointed when we are asked to forgive and we don't want to, we are disappointed when Jesus accepts someone we wouldn't think of accepting. Yet in all of this, Jesus still extends his hand to us.
We've betrayed him, often. And he loves us anyway. That's Good News for a Holy Wednesday.
Peace ><>
pc
It's Holy Wednesday, also known as Judas Day or "Spy" Wednesday. But I believe that's the wrong focus. O we should focus on Judas, but not because of his vilification, rather because we are more like him than we care to admit! We focus on Judas today because it shifts tomorrow to the Last Supper, Friday to the cross, the Sabbath and then Resurrection. So today is perfect to look at Judas.
Who is Judas? A faithful disciple, just like the rest. He was accepted by Jesus and by his peers. He was included in everything, every teaching, every miracle, every insider peek at the Kingdom of God that the rest were. So why do we readily set him aside as the villain in the story? Is it because of his betrayal? Be careful...
Who hasn't betrayed Jesus? Peter did even after he promised he never would, even going to death with him, for him, but he did...3 times! Judas did only once. Hmmmm...who's the villain now?
No, I'm not about to make Peter the bad guy, rather I'd like to portray Judas as one like the rest of us, he just caught up in the great tragedy of circumstance. In other words, his betrayal was a catalyst for God's greater purposes, not the downfall of the Kingdom. And there have been other betrayals that have done much more harm to the kingdom. In fact, the betrayals that happen today on a daily basis are much worse than his, and we mostly dismiss them out of hand with little or no thought to our own actions. Yes, we are as guilty as Judas, maybe even more so!
But the Good News for us is that even Jesus, though told us exactly how Judas would be viewed by history and the generations to come, also showed us exactly how he would treat all those who would betray him, with a hand-dipped piece of bread (Communion?). Yes, even in the midst of Judas' disappointment with Jesus (he desired a militant Messiah, taking over Israel and running out the Romans) and his betrayal, Jesus extended grace to him...
...and to us!
Like Judas we are disappointed in Jesus often. It's true! He doesn't do the things we want or expect sometimes. He leaves things undone in the stories and in our lives and we wonder why. We are disappointed with God as we read the vile and bloody stories of the Old Testament, we are disappointed when we are asked to forgive and we don't want to, we are disappointed when Jesus accepts someone we wouldn't think of accepting. Yet in all of this, Jesus still extends his hand to us.
We've betrayed him, often. And he loves us anyway. That's Good News for a Holy Wednesday.
Peace ><>
pc
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Holy Tuesday
So much of our life of faith is about us doing something different, changing they way we act, think, respond. It's hard work sometimes too. We have bad habits that we try to change using our own strength and waiting, hoping that God will help in some unseen but miraculous way. We long for that help that seems to be so elusive.
The Psalms are filled with these images of hard work or hard times where God seems distant. But there is another image there that is perfect for a Holy Tuesday, our active God who is working on our behalf, doing more behind the scenes than we realize, working on ahead of us to make things better than they could have been, showing up behind us to push us and encourage us along the way, walking along beside us just waiting for us to put our hand in his and walk.
That's right. While a great part of our lives of faith takes our strength, the greatest steps of faith are not to be taken alone, with our hand in the hand of God. But how do we do that?
It's simple and its the only real thing we have to do with our own strength, reach out our hand for God's!
On this Holy Tuesday, in preparation for the Easter Celebration, reach up or reach out for God who is ready to hold us and take us where we need to go, guide us through whatever difficulties that we face, encourage us along the say and never let us go.
It's a great place to be...
...In His Grip!
Peace ><>
pc
The Psalms are filled with these images of hard work or hard times where God seems distant. But there is another image there that is perfect for a Holy Tuesday, our active God who is working on our behalf, doing more behind the scenes than we realize, working on ahead of us to make things better than they could have been, showing up behind us to push us and encourage us along the way, walking along beside us just waiting for us to put our hand in his and walk.
That's right. While a great part of our lives of faith takes our strength, the greatest steps of faith are not to be taken alone, with our hand in the hand of God. But how do we do that?
It's simple and its the only real thing we have to do with our own strength, reach out our hand for God's!
On this Holy Tuesday, in preparation for the Easter Celebration, reach up or reach out for God who is ready to hold us and take us where we need to go, guide us through whatever difficulties that we face, encourage us along the say and never let us go.
It's a great place to be...
...In His Grip!
Peace ><>
pc
Monday, April 02, 2007
Holy (Week) Monday
It's been awhile since I've posted on my blog. Some of you have missed it and told me, others of you have missed it and just been disappointed. But thanks to all of you who have missed it. I, too, have missed writing and I decided that there's no better time to jump start it than Holy Week. So I pray you find it again and trust that there will be something to read in the days to come. Thanks for your patience and encouragement.
We don't know what happened on Holy Monday. It was a crazy week for Jesus, too. He hadn't made great friends in the Temple yesterday, either. It was later, after arriving on the donkey, that he turned over the tables of the merchants and money-changers. The week was filled with a lot of teaching, moving around, going to the temple, dinner at friends houses, preparing for Passover, lots of pilgrims coming into Jerusalem and it's outlying communities. It was a happening week for them too.
Maybe, though, Monday was a bit of a letdown from the "triumphal entry" into Jerusalem. Just maybe, Jesus spent the day in a much quieter setting, thinking about what had just happened yesterday, the cries of "Hosanna" still ringing in his ears, teaching his disciples just what those events had meant, or would mean in the future. Maybe it was a day of rest in preparation for what he know was coming in the next few days.
Anticipation of the rest of the week should be our focus. How are we going to most appropriately address the holiness of this week? Are we going to be fully present in the worship, with the Passion story, with Jesus? Today should be a day to ponder, to think, to look back on our lives and prepare for our responses the rest of the week. It's a day to confess our sins, our undesired behaviors and vow to change. (It's called repentance.) Sure we've been doing that all during Lent, but in case we have put it off, now is the time.
We cried "Hosanna" (Save us!) yesterday. Let's cry it again today, but instead of with our lips, make it the prayer of our hearts as we quiet ourselves to prepare for the rest of this Holy Week.
Peace ><>
pc
We don't know what happened on Holy Monday. It was a crazy week for Jesus, too. He hadn't made great friends in the Temple yesterday, either. It was later, after arriving on the donkey, that he turned over the tables of the merchants and money-changers. The week was filled with a lot of teaching, moving around, going to the temple, dinner at friends houses, preparing for Passover, lots of pilgrims coming into Jerusalem and it's outlying communities. It was a happening week for them too.
Maybe, though, Monday was a bit of a letdown from the "triumphal entry" into Jerusalem. Just maybe, Jesus spent the day in a much quieter setting, thinking about what had just happened yesterday, the cries of "Hosanna" still ringing in his ears, teaching his disciples just what those events had meant, or would mean in the future. Maybe it was a day of rest in preparation for what he know was coming in the next few days.
Anticipation of the rest of the week should be our focus. How are we going to most appropriately address the holiness of this week? Are we going to be fully present in the worship, with the Passion story, with Jesus? Today should be a day to ponder, to think, to look back on our lives and prepare for our responses the rest of the week. It's a day to confess our sins, our undesired behaviors and vow to change. (It's called repentance.) Sure we've been doing that all during Lent, but in case we have put it off, now is the time.
We cried "Hosanna" (Save us!) yesterday. Let's cry it again today, but instead of with our lips, make it the prayer of our hearts as we quiet ourselves to prepare for the rest of this Holy Week.
Peace ><>
pc
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