Friday, March 29 Psalm 22
and John 18:1-19:42
Benjamin Kane
John’s Gospel records that Jesus uttered the words,
“It is finished,” and then breathed his last.
At that moment no one was left—Jesus is alone, hanging on the
cross. Prior to his death he commended
his mother, Mary, and his beloved disciple to each other and sent them away
along with Mary Magdalene. The only
people around were the soldiers who were too distracted by who was to receive
his clothing to be aware of his presence; they were there to watch him die—not
to interact with him. After sending his mother
and disciples away he cried to God only to hear silence. Hanging on the cross utterly alone Christ
embodied the guttural words of the Psalmist, “My God, my God why have you
forsaken me.”
In that moment of utter isolation Christ died for
all of us. Paradoxically, by dying
alone, Christ’s death became the loneliest expression of love. Because no one
was around, no one can claim that Christ died only for him or her. Christ died without a word from God—so it
wasn’t for God’s sake that he died; Christ died without a believer in sight—so
his death wasn’t only for those present; Christ didn’t die from wounds
inflicted by the soldiers—so his death wasn’t the result of a particular person
or group.
Over the course of this season of Lent we have
focused on our mortality and need for God.
We’ve discussed the need to sacrifice—to give up or add on various
things to accentuate the meaning of this season. Undoubtedly we have failed at these
endeavors. Temptation or boredom or
familial circumstances prevented us from accomplishing our goal for the
season. Despite this reality, Christ
will still hang from the cross tonight and will breath his last and sadly will
live out the loneliest expression of love.
As
we come to church to worship on this ominous day, when our chancels are
stripped bare of any adornments and black clothes with crowns of thorns cover
our crosses may we remember what the preacher Tony Campolo said: “It might be
Friday, but Sunday is coming.” The loneliest
expression of love takes place on Friday, but it isn’t fully realized until
Sunday, to which we respond, “Thanks be to God.”
Prayer: Because you died alone you died for all of us. In that moment your gracious love for all of
humanity was expressed. May we live in
that reality on this Good Friday.
Through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
Daily Challenge: How does Christ’s expression of love
manifest itself in your life?
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