Good Friday

Some musings on Good Friday from contemplating on the Three Hours:

I can understand why the nonbeliever goes about Good Friday as though it is any other Friday, the thing which astounds and baffles me, is Christians who treat this Holy Day as any other day. They go to work, they eat, converse, and maybe go to Church. Should we not spend this Day in prayer and contemplation? Should we not take this one day out of the year to focus solely on the amazing grace of our God shown by the Eternal Son hanging upon the Cross?

Judas betrayed Christ, the disciples abandoned Him, Peter denied Him, the people mocked and beat Him, and the soldiers crucified Him….and despite all we think, we are all of them. We all shared in Judas betrayal, we abandoned and denied Him, mocked and beat and crucified Him. And yet despite of our spiteful hatred of Him he died for us. Even as we mocked and taunted Him he died to atone for that sin. What amazing grace! What amazing love!

No nails could bind Him, no shackles could hold Him, no army could stop Him, it was His love for us alone, which captured Him, His love which held him before wicked courts to be mocked and beat, his love and mercy which held Him high upon the Cross and did not let Him save himself. What did Christ think about as He hung upon the Cross? He thought of us.

Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. It was with an act of intimacy and love with which Judas betrayed. What a mystery! What a horrible reality, an act of love turned to an act of hatred! And what of Judas name, which means thanks? How do we reconcile thankfulness with betrayal? How do we understand one who loves and thanks Christ, to betray Him? It is a mystery not to be solved, but to be experienced in the reality that we are all like Judas, we all have loved Christ and betrayed.