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Good Friday, 2022
A Lenten Reflection
My warmest Greetings to all,
The very season of Lent presents every believer with a special and Blessed Invitation from our Precious Savior, to come on a journey of life with Him. He invites us to be with Him, through it all; from His time of temptation in a very real desert, where He experienced--hunger (and, no doubt, thirst), isolation, loneliness, and a sense of disconnection or broken relationships.
In this final week of our Savior's earthly life, He went from the natural high of His majestic and triumphant entry into the Holy City of Jerusalem, with crowds of people shouting His praise and calling Him the Blessed One -- to the heartbreaking low of this day, we call Good Friday, with crowds of people cursing Him and calling for His death. On this day, Jesus experienced disappointment and rejection, from not just the strangers in a crowd, but from the ones he dearly loved (and who professed their love for Him).
How are we doing on this Good Friday, my sibling believers? Are we still with Jesus, today? His Invitation Still Stands, you know! He is inviting us to experience everythingwith Him! Not only the betrayal of His close companions, but the indignities of a mob-arrest and being taken away by force, like a common criminal, as well. Then add to that, the cruelty of a public beating, with whips (some having metal tips) tearing at His flesh; not to mention the insensitivity of the soldiers and some in the crowds who mocked and made fun of Him (made sport of Him).
So how are we doing, believers? Are we able to stay with Jesus? Can we stick with Him now, through thick and thin? Or, are we cutting our losses and running away, like some of those first disciples? Will we follow Him now, only from a safe distance, like Peter did on that dark and lonely night of the soul?
What can I say to encourage you to stay the course? What can we say to ourselves and to each other to keep us from turning our faces away and rejecting the Cross, which Jesus is so clearly facing? Let me say three things, which all boil down to one thing: The Promises of God.
1) God has promised never to leave us or forsake us. The Psalmist reminds us that, even if my mother and father forsake me, Yhwh-Almighty will take me up. Jesus Himself, gave us these words, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world (of the ages/of all time). If Jesus has promised never to leave us, how can we turn away from Him?
2) God has promised that we will never be tempted beyond what we can bear, but with every trial, God provides a way of escape -- a way out. Yes, Jesus is our Way-Maker, who will always make a way for us. Like those first disciples once said to Jesus, "Lord, if we turn from you, where shall we go; only You have the words of life."
3) The New Testament makes it plain, simple and clear -- "Nothing can separate us from the love of God which we have in Christ Jesus, our Lord." The Apostle, Paul, has us to know that this means absolutely nothing! - - Not life or death; not powers or principalities; not lies or any injustice; not even the "Big Lie" in America!
What each and every one of us must do is to decide on our response to the challenges that come with Good Friday in our lives. I believe the best response we can make to the pain and agony of Good Friday (and of life in general), is this: Be Strong and Take Courage. In other words, stay strong and be courageous. We can do this, no matter how weak and afraid we may feel. With Christ/In Christ, who shapes our new Christian character, we can still respond with strength and courage to whatever life brings our way.
In his new book, "Carry On--Reflections for a New Generation" by the late and great US Congressman from Atlanta, Georgia, USA, the honorable John Lewis has written, On Courage:
"Courage reflects your spirit. It reflects something deep within all of us who would rather defy an authority than go along with something that is morally wrong. Raw courage makes us stand up and speak out in the face of fear. Courage helps us overcome doubts and reservations. It's not something that comes from reason or logic but is born from the heart and the divine purpose to take the right path."
"There may be a time when history calls upon you. There may be an injustice that has hurt your friends or fellow citizens. How will you respond? Will you support those who are oppressed? By listening to the voice within, you will find the courage and power to do what is right, even if it is unpopular at the time. This inner courage will command you to respond to fighting with peace and respond to hate with love."
I pray that we may all find this kind of courage for the living of these days and in these times.
Amen
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