Friday

Friday reminds.

Friday reminds of darkness.
Earlier in the week was parade, meals with friends,
times of worship, times of teaching.
Yet not Friday.
Friday is for mourning
Friday is for tears, for wailing.
Friday reminds, and the reminder is terrible.

Friday reminds of betrayal and denial,
kisses on the cheek and roosters crowing.
Of false indictment, joke of a trial,
Of a criminal released and purity condemned.
Friday recalls palm branches discarded,
of husband and wife, friend and neighbor
taking up the shout together…Crucify! Crucify!

Friday reminds of whipping and mockery
ancient water boarding without mercy or respect.
Inhumane treatment would be better than what Friday recalls:
embarrassing disrobement,
nakedness,
punches to the face,
lacerated back,
thorns on the head.

Friday reminds.

Friday reminds of the walk to the skull
the overbearing beam weighted down
by the screams of the crowd.
It reminds of foot long spikes,
the sound of the hammer,
the ear-piercing wails,
the wood dropped in the hole,
every wound exposed.
Soldiers cracking up,
crowds jeering and scoffing,
dice tossed and insults thrown.
Of a spear to the side, of mother weeping,
of the sign that read, “King of the Jews.”

Friday reminds.

Friday reminds of seven statements:
Of… “Today you will be with me in paradise.”
Of… “Behold your son, behold your mother.”
Of… “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”
Of… “I thirst.”
Of… “It is finished.”
Of…”Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”
Self-given eulogy, thirty-six words testify a life.

Friday reminds of the crimeless convicted, lamb slaughtered.
Let’s be honest, that understatement is despicable!
He was jumped! He was lynched!
He was mutilated and assaulted, an undeserving victim!
His treatment an abomination, a disgrace to humanity,
How can the innocent be treated so?
But this is the motive, the rationale for Friday.
Why its reminder is both gut-wrenching and needed.

Friday reminds.
His innocence…reminds of our guilt.
His beating…reminds it was our doing.
His cross…reminds we put Him up there.
Jesus was murdered and Friday reminds that we are responsible.
Reverse genocide, not one kills the masses but the masses killing one.
His blood on our clothing, on the hand holding the hammer.
We caused this catastrophe.

Friday reminds.

Reminds of our lust,
of our blame passing
of our anger
of our procrastination
of our cheating
of our apathy
of our petty excuses
of our gossip and slander
of our greed, gluttony and speeding
of our illegal downloading and lack of compassion,
of our complaining and laziness
of our ever working and never taking Sabbath,
of our jealousies, our idolatry,
of our lack of gratitude, our self worship,
of our denying that God is there.
These and all the others…THEY are the crowds that belittled Him.
They are the scourging, the taunts, the carried cross,
They are the hammer and the nails.
Friday shows our sin on display,
our need can’t be denied, our hearts can’t hide.

Friday reminds.

Friday reminds of the loving Father:
He is gracious and merciful, holy and just.
Reminds of a God who would die…
rather than see us perish.
Reminds of a God who would take our sins on Himself…
rather than see us crushed under them.
Reminds of a God who loves us to an extent outside of comprehension…
He would experience the most horrific of deaths
so that we could find, know and experience life.

Friday reminds.

Friday reminds that I am a sinner.
That I killed Jesus.
That God is love.
That God is forgiveness.
In its beauty and ugliness Friday reminds me of these things.
Friday reminds me that hope and peace are possible,
that joy and rescue are available.
And Sunday is almost here.

Friday reminds.

Wrote this inspired by Good Friday and THIS post from Brian Zhand.
Originally posted last year on Good Friday