I write these thoughts on Good Friday. What an unusual phrase, given what we know about the details of the day. Jesus had been charged with being an enemy both of the church and the state. He was arrested and put through three quick trials (two of which were illegal). Already having been betrayed by one friend, another refused to be a witness for the defense, denying that he even knew Jesus. He was beaten with a cat-o-nine-tails. That was a wooden handle with nine strips of leather attached (the nine tails), each strip having small pieces of broken glass or rock in the end of it (the cat’s claws). People flogged with that instrument of torture were hit thirty-nine times. That was because there was a prevailing belief that no one could withstand forty lashes (the pain and loss of blood would be too much to survive). He was mocked, condemned to die, forced to carry the armbar of a cross to His place of execution, and there endured crucifixion (a word that meant “excruciating,” a description of what was then known as the most heinous form of execution in the Roman empire). Crucifixion involved having spikes (we incorrectly refer to them as “nails” – they were, instead, roughly the size of railroad spikes) driven through wrists and ankles (not hands and feet). Due to the crown of thorns the guards had derisively placed on His head, Jesus’ face was covered with blood which attracted insects. But, since His arms were spiked to the Cross, He couldn’t wave the flies and bugs away. Eventually those suffering crucifixion died of asphyxiation. Their lungs would fill with fluid until they simply could no longer breathe. “Good” Friday? Why on earth did the saints of old decide to call it that?
The title was chosen for two reasons. One had to do with what is called Atonement Theology (the idea that Jesus died on our behalf, receiving punishment for sins we have committed – thus enabling two contradictory concepts to exist alongside one another, the concepts of a God of justice vis-a-vis a God of mercy). The second reason for using the word “Good” had to do with what would occur three days later. The Resurrection. The Day which adherents of Christianity interpret as history’s defining moment of ultimate victory (victory, in fact, over death itself).
So, is there a lesson in all that which can somehow apply to us, to our lives and experiences in our world? Though none of us will ever be spiked to a cross, nor will we be asked to somehow compensate for the sins of humanity, in smaller, personal ways there is an applicable principle in this story. And that is that sometimes bad events can produce good outcomes. We go through an experience that is disappointing and disheartening. Our spirits sag. Our nights are sleepless and our eyes filled with tears. What we do not possess, however, is foresight. Hindsight? Yes. Foresight? Well, none of us are fortune tellers. But if we were, we would often see that hard roads lead to grand destinations.
A longtime friend of mine told recently of riding in a van along a twisting dirt road through a South American jungle. The road was muddy and filled with potholes. The ride was bumpy. The pathway was narrow and, thus, frightening when you peered over ledges a hundred feet or more over some valley below. He had seen enough movies on Netflix to be afraid that around every curve some masked robbers or captors would be waiting. He said it was truly “one of the most uncomfortable journeys of my life.” But then something happened. His words: “We rounded a curve and came into an opening. In front of us was a village. There were mountains in the background, green and majestic. Flowers and fruit trees were everywhere. There were townsfolk there to meet us, all with broad smiles and open arms. They were dressed in bright, festive garments for the wedding about to be held” (which was why my friend was present). “Soon,” he said, “the celebration began. The bride was beautiful and happy. The groom was handsome and elated. Their families were filled with love. The food was plentiful and delicious. The hospitality was beyond gracious. And the whole day was an experience of joy. When at last we had to board the bus for the journey back through the jungle, I dreaded it,” he said, “not because of fear about the road, but because of grief at having to leave a place that felt like Paradise.”
Not always, but often what fills us with sadness, fear, anger, or disappointment is a necessary road we travel leading to a destination of peace, joy, and fulfillment. Lost jobs open the door for new careers. Lost relationships open the door for lasting loves. Lost dreams open the door for deepened awareness of personal skill sets and opportunities for contributions and impacts. “No” opens the door to a far more meaningful “Yes” yet to come. There are thousands of stories of people who even went through unspeakable tragedies (like illness or incarceration) that ultimately taught them life lessons by which they became more than they otherwise could have been. As an old adage puts it: “It may be Friday, but Sunday’s coming.” Or, as another says: “Every cross is prelude to an empty tomb.”
What we who practice Christianity describe as the most painful moment in human history was a prelude to what came three days later: the most celebrative moment in human history. That’s why it’s called GOOD Friday. If you’re living through a Friday kind of pain in your life at the moment, hold onto the hope and promise that somehow, someway, Sunday’s coming.