the friday that changed the world

 (I ask before you start reading this, click here and listen to this song as you read.)

 

"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." John 1:29

 

Today is Good Friday, the most important day in the history of mankind. Because without this day, without Jesus' terrible suffering and death, we would not be here. Nor would we be in Heaven.
Because this Friday is the Friday that changed the world.

 

 

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, to that everyone who believes in Him ma not perish, but may have eternal life." John 3:16

 

I don't think we realize how much Jesus really did suffer for us. Not only the unbearable pain of being whipped, shoved around, and having the heavy weight of a wooden cross on your bleeding shoulders, but having to know that He would die. Because His entire life, he knew that His crucifixion was coming. How would you act if you knew every day that passed was one day closer to your painful death? How do you tell your friends, your followers, your people?

 

 

"Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them." John 18:5

 

Think of your best friend, right now. What do you love most about him/her? Their humor, their empathy, their loyalty? One of Jesus' best friends betrayed Him. It's not like it was some follower who went to all of Jesus' sermons, or a Pharisee even. Jesus had thousands of followers, but only 12 apostles and the one who betrayed Jesus was one of them.

 

"At the cross her sorrow sharing

Torn with grief and torment bearing

Bitter sorrow pierced her heart"

 

And in the midst of all this, is Mary. Mary, Jesus' beautiful mother, who also knew from the moment of His birth that He would be crucified. Mary understood that it needed to happen, but it didn't change the sorrow that "like a sharp sword, pierced her heart". Mother Mary, pray for us.

 

"Truly, this man was the Son of God." Mark 15:19

But why should it matter today? Of course, Jesus died, but that was 2,000 years ago. But along with the soldiers and the Jews, we nailed Jesus to the cross. Because of our sin, our selfishness and our shame, we were right along with the Romans as they pierced his flesh with a nail. Every time we sin, we are pounding that hammer. Think about it. Think about our loving, sweet, beautiful Jesus who had as much innocence when He was 33 years old that He did when he was born, to be nailed to a cross and left there to suffocate and die. Because of our fallen nature, we helped. O Loving Jesus, have mercy on us.

Map of scars

A crown of thorns

Through all this pain was Heaven born

 A wooden cross

Stood on that hill

Our Savior was dying

Even still

 He saw you.

 



But the most important thing in, Jesus doesn't care. He just loves. He loves you so, so SO much that if you were the only person in existence, he would die the same death as He did for billions of people . How does that make you feel? That a perfect, loved human being would undergo humiliation, scourging and crucifixion just for you? 

As he was hanging on that cross, HE SAW YOU. He really did, he saw you right now, he saw your birth, and he sees your death. But most importantly, he sees you with Him in Heaven and that makes Him smile because that is the very reason of  why He died! So we could be with Him in Heaven.  And to Him, all that suffering was worth it. To us, it should be too.

"Therefore we, before him bending,
This great Sacrament revere;
Types and shadows have their ending,
For the newer rite is here;
Faith, our outward sense befriending,
Makes the inward vision clear."

Pange Lingua

 

So today, I encourage you to stop everything. Stop your work, stop your social life, stop electronics.
Give up everything and spend some time with Jesus. If there is any Stations of the Cross or reflective hours at your church, go to it. Lock yourself in your room for an hour and sit and listen to Jesus. If gore doesn't bother you too much, I highly recommend watching either The Passion or the crucifixion of Jesus from The Bible Miniseries. When you see these actions come to life, you can really understand why and how Jesus did it.

Crack open your Bible, read some prayers. Light a candle and let God come to you. Because if Jesus could die for us, then I think we owe Him a little quality time.

Good Friday is the most beautiful day of the year. Make the most of it. :)

Have a blessed rest of your Triduum, and a very happy Easter!

All through Christ,

Maddie