Good Friday

The Crucifixion

After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfill the scripture), “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:28-30

When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have your forsaken me?” Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Mark 15:33-34, 37-38

Meditation

            Good Friday appears to be poorly named. What can possibly be “good” about a day that symbolizes the cruel last hours of Jesus? Jesus was first arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane sometime around or after midnight, and the day goes downhill for Jesus after that. Sleepless, beaten, mocked, flogged, bleeding, stumbling under the weight of a heavy cross, Jesus is finally nailed onto the cross and dies. Friends make some haste in getting his body down from the cross and into a tomb before sundown so they do not violate the Sabbath prohibition on work.

            It does not sound like a good day for anyone.

Spiritual discipline

            Meditate on the images of the events of this day. Review your notes from the last 6 weeks. Take a deep breath and experience the relief as the gruesome journey finally comes to an end. Watch as the body of Jesus is laid to rest in a tomb.

Prayer

            Lord Jesus, my prince of peace, as your body lay dead in the tomb, I know there must have been some relief to be finished with the crucifixion. As I review the events of this day, again, I am amazed at your endurance and selfless sacrifice. Give me an uneasy rest this day, knowing this, like all painful parts of our lives, is a necessary part of the glory to come. Amen.

This is the 48^th in a daily series titled The Stations of the Cross that will run through Easter 2026, at which time I will return to my weekly Life Notes. Life Notes are my explorations into mysteries that interest me. They are invitations for readers to explore more deeply into life’s mysteries. Engage with me or explore contemplative spiritual direction at ghildenbrand@outlook.com.