Good Friday

AM Psalm 22; PM Psalm 40:1-14(15-19), 54 

 Wisdom 1:16-2:1,12-22 or Gen. 22:1-14; 1 Peter 1:10-20;

To the leader: according to The Deer of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.


¹ My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
 

Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? 


² O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
 

and by night, but find no rest.

6 But I am a worm, and not human;
   scorned by others, and despised by the people. 


⁷ All who see me mock at me;
   they make mouths at me, they shake their heads;

Genesis 22:1-14

Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill* his son. ¹¹But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ ¹²He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’

John 13:36-38

36 Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, where are you going?’ Jesus answered, ‘Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow afterwards.’ ³⁷Peter said to him, ‘Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.’ ³⁸Jesus answered, ‘Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times. ‘

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As a child, I was always enamored with the story of Christ’s Resurrection because – as any human – who can’t be amazed at the idea of coming back to life after dying?   That is, of course, a great mystery. But in my adulthood, I’ve come to, well, not discard per se, but take in stride (?) to some extent that the Son of God would be able to defeat death. Of course, he would!  He’s God! 

Instead, I’ve become more fascinated with the thought that Jesus – as human – would willingly allow himself to be humiliated, beaten, shunned, disowned, discredited, tortured, made to walk bearing the instrument of his death and then – finally – crucified… for me?

Not only do I – in my humanness – NOT understand how Abraham could willingly kill his son, I do not understand how someone could not raise their hand to protect themself; could not raise their voice to defend themself; could not run to save themselves.

I think of all the times I could have spoken up at some injustice, when I could have stopped someone from berating someone weaker; or the missed opportunities to become more active in some human rights or environmental movement.

I think I would do anything – even die – for my children, but that’s an easy statement to make while they’re healthy and whole. I imagine I would wish to bear their burden if they were stricken with some horrible disease or throw myself in front of a moving car if it would get them out of harm’s way. But this is a decision made in a flash, without forethought or brooding.

But to willingly bear what Jesus bore – for someone as weak as myself?  To know what was coming for years and not be driven mad by its unfairness?  This is beyond my comprehension and this is where faith must take over. This is where my resolve to deserve - and to accept that I am deserving – of His Sacrifice must become stronger than my humanness.

I cannot bear the thought that Jesus might just say to me, “Why have YOU, Kathy, forsaken me?”

Kathleen Dixon