Good Friday 2024
Darkness.
Pain.
Sacrifice.
Mercy.
Love.
Today we remember how Jesus was passed around between Pontius Pilate and Herod Antipas. Then how Pilate finally ordered Jesus to be beaten and then crucified.
On the cross, Jesus cried out, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Can you just imagine? He was quoting from Psalm 22 and while it sounds so desperate and sad, is it possible He was reciting the entire Psalm in His mind? The Psalm that ends with TRIUMPH:
For He has not despised the affliction of the afflicted;
nor has He hid His face from him;
but when he cried to Him, He heard.
From the four corners of the earth
people are coming to their senses, are running back to God.
Long-lost families are falling on their faces before him.
God has taken charge; from now on He has the last word.
All who are rich will bow down to you, Lord.
Even those who are dying will come and bow down.
In the future, everyone will worship and learn about you, our Lord.
People not yet born will be told, “The Lord has saved us!”
Jesus cried out, knowing He had fulfilled God’s will. With His final breath, He yielded. At that very instant, the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom. Darkness enveloped the land. The earth shook. Rocks split apart. Graves burst open, and many of God’s faithful were resurrected. Lives were changed immediately. And lives are still being changed today! He died for you. He died for me. Hallelujah!
The past doesn’t own you anymore. The grave doesn’t hold you anymore. He says that you’re worth dying for and He couldn’t love you any more than He does right now.
The photo below is one I took at St. Mary’s on the Lake, not far from my house. I’ve been going to St. Mary’s for personal retreats for over 22 years, where I’ve poured out my heart time and again, usually in January. So the sight of this snow-draped cross against the backdrop of that stark tree, as I’ve mentioned about other photos here, ‘took my breath away’. I couldn’t help but stop and thank our Lord for His unconditional love and the sacrifice that saved my soul.
I pray these words and messages will help you prepare your heart and soul for this Holy Week and His resurrection!! Lenten blessings to you.