April 3, 2015
Good Friday

“Simon Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now; but you shall follow afterward.” Peter said to him, “Lord, why cannot I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” John 13:36-37

“Now when it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. Around three oʼclock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” When some of the bystanders heard it they said, “Listen, he is calling for Elijah!” Then someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Leave him alone! Letʼs see if Elijah will come to take him down!” But Jesus cried out with a loud voice and breathed his last. And the temple curtain was torn in two, from top to bottom. Now when the centurion, who stood in front of him, saw how he died, he said, “Truly this man was Godʼs Son!” Mark 15:33-39

Good Friday. Why is it called Good Friday? There is no clear answer of the origin of “Good” Friday. Some say it comes from the phrase “G*d’s Friday”. That seems reasonable. But others point to the fact that what Christ did for all of humanity was so “Good”, that even though it involves his death on a cross, it is Good for all people. There are many ways to honor the day of Good Friday. Some congregations hold a service from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm – the traditional hours that Christ hung on the cross. During those three hours, sermons are delivered on the seven last words of Christ. Those seven last words from the Gospels include:

“Father Forgive, for they do not know what they are doing.”
“Today you will be with me in Paradiise”
“Woman here is your son; son here is your Mother”
“My G*d, My G*d, why have you forsaken Me”
“I am thirsty”
“It is Finished”
“Father, Into Your hands I commend my Spirit”

In my congregation we will participate in a Tenebrae Service – traditionally known as a service of light. Tenebrae is Latin for “shadows” or “darkness”. It is used to recreate the emotions of the events of Good Friday. Another tradition the churches of 17043 have continued is processing the cross through the town of Lemoyne. Any opportunity we can do to bring the centrality of the cross in our lives to the communities of the West Shore is a good thing – something good to do on Good Friday.

Pastor Dave