It’s Friday! The Good one.
Last night, Maundy Thursday, we gathered, and heard the scripture reading that tells how Jesus reveals that God’s heart is for us. Jesus washes feet, pours wine, breaks bread, and tells us that FOR US, who betray, deny, and abandon him (like the disciples!), he lays down his life.
We also celebrated with a whole bunch of our young people – lots of 3rd graders, some 4th,5th, and 6th graders – and their families as they celebrated the milestone of communion, many of them taking the bread and wine for the very first time. It was a moment!
We left the sanctuary in silence with the altar laid bare. There is a somber tone at the end of Maundy Thursday, knowing that Good Friday and the gruesome death of Jesus looms.
As I drove to church a few days ago, the morning of the bridge collapse in Baltimore, I found myself grateful that we are given the promise that this life is not all we have. Because death looms for all of us! And is so present in our world. But we have one who has suffered and died and made satisfaction on our behalf, which means that we are left not to the hardships and tragedy of this world but have the promise of eternal life – now and yet to come!
On Good Friday, although it is a day when we hear the ugly, terrible story of how Jesus died, we hear it as Good News. As one theologian puts it, Good Friday is a bad news/good news day: Bad news, because Jesus died in our place. Good news, because Jesus died in our place. (https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/good-friday/commentary-on-john-181-1942-14)
Tonight we will hear this bad news/good news together at 6pm for Good Friday service. This weekend, we will celebrate God’s victory over death – thanks be to God! — with five Easter services. There’s room for you at one of them. Hope to see you there!
For Christ is risen! He is risen indeed. Good News for you and all of us.
See you in church,
Pastor Heidi
