Good Friday reflection April 2020
Hello, and welcome to this reflection for Good Friday. The gospel reading for today is John’s Gospel, chapters 18 and 19 which you may like to read for yourself. it gives us the account of Jesus’ betrayal and arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, his trial before the High Priest and Pilate, it tells us of Peter’s denial of his friendship with Jesus, the cock crowing. Jesus being flogged, and presented to the Jewish people as their King, wearing a crown of thorns and purple robe, and finally His crucifixion. His words spoken from the cross; the disciples standing afar, watching; Jesus’ concern for His mother; His own sense of abandonment and, after a number of hours, his death.
We are then told that loving friends took His body, anointed him, and laid Him in the garden tomb. It is a detailed and sorrowful l account of Jesus’ final hours. It is what we traditionally remember on Good Friday – trying our best to imagine and follow His journey.
This year Good Friday is like no other. Unable to meet with our family or friends, unable to worship in our congregations, we are faced with remembering Jesus’ death by ourselves, in small household groups, or even alone.
But I wonder if, in this time of isolation, fear and loss, there are things we can ponder from our current experiences of how that first Good Friday played out.
For the disciples this rapid turn of events, from Palm Sunday’s ‘Hosannas’, to Fridays ‘Crucify Him!’ must have been totally disorientating. They had spent three years seeing Jesus build His ministry, seeing miracles and healings, sharing in a growing sense of God coming in power and majesty – and now, all of that seems shredded, torn and blown on the angry wind of Good Friday – everything that once made sense, no longer does; all the hopes and dreams lie shattered at their feet. What will happen now?
And for those who were perhaps closest to Jesus, His mother, the disciple John – seeing their loved one die at a distance, raised high on a cross of shame and pain - not being able to comfort or to draw close. Perhaps now not so hard to imagine, when in this current pandemic many have lost loved ones, they have been unable to draw close, to be there for them. We hear and see their sorrow every day. It is a stark reminder of our human frailty, and of the degree to which God was willing to go in His love for humankind in letting Jesus die.
And perhaps we can sense more of Jesus’ experience Himself – isolated from friends and family, struck down in apparent injustice and unfairness. And finally, feeling abandoned too by His heavenly Father. Can we in our isolation perhaps imagine what this felt like for Him?
Good Friday’s events were another step in God’s story of salvation, but of course on the day the disciples did not know how it would end, what would happen next. They, in their fear, retreated to a locked room. They did not have the advantage we have of knowing that three days later Jesus would rise from death. They only saw what was before them – loss, confusion, bleakness. Everything had changed, and seemingly for the worst.
The corona virus epidemic has brought immense changes to all of our lives. Restrictions, fear, loss – many of the things we thought we knew and could rely on have suddenly been taken away. For some even those dearest to them are critically ill or have died. It is a challenging and heart-breaking time.
All of us, whether of faith or not, feel the shock of these changes. Many, many are doing all they can to help others, whilst keeping themselves and others safe. But we cannot deny the impact of all that is happening. Like the disciples on Good Friday we too ask, what will happen next?
When will this end?
What we do see is that in all the difficulties and sorrow of this time is the daily triumphs of love for our neighbours. The love that we see expressed in those still working, those supporting and helping others, those caring and giving – that love reflects the love of God for each of us, each of us who matters to Him so much. In His eternal purpose Good Friday was part of God’s greater plan of salvation, but its outcome was unseen by those caught up in it at the time.
We hope, and pray, and know that this season will pass.
But for now, like the disciples, we wait…….
Once we were far off, but now in union with Christ Jesus we have been brought near through the shedding of Christ’s blood, for he is our peace.
May the peace of Christ, which passes understanding, be with us all.
Amen
Hello, and welcome to this reflection for Good Friday. The gospel reading for today is John’s Gospel, chapters 18 and 19 which you may like to read for yourself. it gives us the account of Jesus’ betrayal and arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, his trial before the High Priest and Pilate, it tells us of Peter’s denial of his friendship with Jesus, the cock crowing. Jesus being flogged, and presented to the Jewish people as their King, wearing a crown of thorns and purple robe, and finally His crucifixion. His words spoken from the cross; the disciples standing afar, watching; Jesus’ concern for His mother; His own sense of abandonment and, after a number of hours, his death.
We are then told that loving friends took His body, anointed him, and laid Him in the garden tomb. It is a detailed and sorrowful l account of Jesus’ final hours. It is what we traditionally remember on Good Friday – trying our best to imagine and follow His journey.
This year Good Friday is like no other. Unable to meet with our family or friends, unable to worship in our congregations, we are faced with remembering Jesus’ death by ourselves, in small household groups, or even alone.
But I wonder if, in this time of isolation, fear and loss, there are things we can ponder from our current experiences of how that first Good Friday played out.
For the disciples this rapid turn of events, from Palm Sunday’s ‘Hosannas’, to Fridays ‘Crucify Him!’ must have been totally disorientating. They had spent three years seeing Jesus build His ministry, seeing miracles and healings, sharing in a growing sense of God coming in power and majesty – and now, all of that seems shredded, torn and blown on the angry wind of Good Friday – everything that once made sense, no longer does; all the hopes and dreams lie shattered at their feet. What will happen now?
And for those who were perhaps closest to Jesus, His mother, the disciple John – seeing their loved one die at a distance, raised high on a cross of shame and pain - not being able to comfort or to draw close. Perhaps now not so hard to imagine, when in this current pandemic many have lost loved ones, they have been unable to draw close, to be there for them. We hear and see their sorrow every day. It is a stark reminder of our human frailty, and of the degree to which God was willing to go in His love for humankind in letting Jesus die.
And perhaps we can sense more of Jesus’ experience Himself – isolated from friends and family, struck down in apparent injustice and unfairness. And finally, feeling abandoned too by His heavenly Father. Can we in our isolation perhaps imagine what this felt like for Him?
Good Friday’s events were another step in God’s story of salvation, but of course on the day the disciples did not know how it would end, what would happen next. They, in their fear, retreated to a locked room. They did not have the advantage we have of knowing that three days later Jesus would rise from death. They only saw what was before them – loss, confusion, bleakness. Everything had changed, and seemingly for the worst.
The corona virus epidemic has brought immense changes to all of our lives. Restrictions, fear, loss – many of the things we thought we knew and could rely on have suddenly been taken away. For some even those dearest to them are critically ill or have died. It is a challenging and heart-breaking time.
All of us, whether of faith or not, feel the shock of these changes. Many, many are doing all they can to help others, whilst keeping themselves and others safe. But we cannot deny the impact of all that is happening. Like the disciples on Good Friday we too ask, what will happen next?
When will this end?
What we do see is that in all the difficulties and sorrow of this time is the daily triumphs of love for our neighbours. The love that we see expressed in those still working, those supporting and helping others, those caring and giving – that love reflects the love of God for each of us, each of us who matters to Him so much. In His eternal purpose Good Friday was part of God’s greater plan of salvation, but its outcome was unseen by those caught up in it at the time.
We hope, and pray, and know that this season will pass.
But for now, like the disciples, we wait…….
Once we were far off, but now in union with Christ Jesus we have been brought near through the shedding of Christ’s blood, for he is our peace.
May the peace of Christ, which passes understanding, be with us all.
Amen