Good Friday, April 18, 2025  

Today's Scripture
Matthew 27:32–56

As they went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry his cross. 

And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots; then they sat down there and kept watch over him. Over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” Then two bandits were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he wants to; for he said, ‘I am God’s Son.’” The bandits who were crucified with him also taunted him in the same way. From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” At once one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” 

Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many. Now when the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were terrified and said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!” Many women were also there, looking on from a distance; they had followed Jesus from Galilee and had provided for him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. (NRSV) 

Reflection

The word “Good” in Good Friday simply marks it as a day set apart as holy on a liturgical calendar, perhaps originating from a description of the day as “God’s Friday.” It has, in some circles, undergone something of a “spin” campaign in attempts to make it seem less grim, to distract us from the trauma of a dominating power splaying a body on a cross.

Too often we’re so quick to move away from trauma to triumph — “Good Friday is ‘good,’ because Christ died on the cross for my sins, so I’m ‘saved’ today” or “What the devil meant for bad, God meant for good, so we need not waste a single tear” or whatever platitude we’re tempted to invoke in order to disassociate ourselves from the horror of it all. On “God’s Friday,” Emmanuel, God-with-us, endured the depths of human suffering rendered upon him by the hands of the Roman Empire.

It has been said that “there is no way out but through.” 

Usually this sentiment is pretty accurate. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line, after all. Except Good Friday is not a call for us to achieve the shortest distance from the gruesome to the graceful. For us to stand, today, at the foot of the cross is to hold vigil with the body of Christ, stretched out and laid bare for us, with us; present to all who suffer — as do we, so did he. 

For in Christ, there is no way but “with.” 

Prayer
O God, our Help and Hope, in you we are never forsaken. Draw near to us as we dare to stand at the foot of the cross on this day. May your presence embolden us to resist all evil in the name and for the sake of your Son who is our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Written by Nancy Benson-Nicol, Associate Pastor for Caring Ministries and Spiritual Formation

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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