Sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know. It took me almost four decades to learn the deeply significant value of intentionally and purposefully lamenting and grieving the horror of the crucifixion on Friday before celebrating the resurrection on Sunday. I had no idea. Although an earnest Christian for 40 years, I never attended a Good Friday service until a few years ago. I was not adverse, it just had not been a part of my background or tradition. My first experience, however, struck me to the core of my being. My reflection on this experience led me to this conclusion; the celebration, joy, and exuberance surrounding Easter morning and the resurrected Jesus will be less meaningful to us if there is no benchmark of purposeful mourning and intentional reflection on the suffering and horror of the crucifixion itself that precedes it. I know people will push back. “Not true!” they will say. “You can still appreciate the resurrection without focusing on the suffering,” they insist. “We don’t need to be sad. Let’s put the good back in Good Friday!” Stay with me. Don’t shoot the messenger. Of course we Christians know the rest of the story. Of course we know that death could not hold him. Of course we know that he rose from the dead. We can all still party on Sunday. But there is something about the corporate lament and remembrance of the horrific suffering and death of the Son of God that preceded all of that which should inform the celebration and give it greater depth and a more profound value. Think of it this way. Reflecting purposefully on the really bad enables us to appreciate and celebrate the really good. For example, it is those who have been desperate or genuinely crazed with thirst that can most deeply appreciate and celebrate an abundance of cold, clear water in a mountain steam. Those who have nearly starved to death in some desperate circumstance can truly appreciate the exquisiteness of a vast and expensive buffet. That is not to say that anyone who has not experienced such circumstances cannot appreciate the profound gift of water or good food. But it is those who have suffered, or reflected meaningfully on the experience of those who have suffered, who will value those things more deeply. It gives context. From medieval times many parts of the Church have celebrated on Good Friday a service of Tennebrae, which means “darkness” or “shadows”. It is a prolonged meditation on Christ’s suffering. Readings trace the story of Christ’s passion, music portrays his pathos, and the power of silence and darkness suggests the drama of this momentous day. As lights are extinguished, Christians ponder the depth of Christ’s suffering and death. The service ends in darkness and people leave in silence to ponder and reflect, until Sunday, on the darkness of the world without Christ. This is not to minimize the celebration of the resurrection! This, however, is a powerful experience that prepares us specifically for a more meaningful celebration of Resurrection Sunday. Just as there is power in other symbols of the faith, there is value in the symbols that surround that dark night of betrayal on Good Friday. Our Easters, in my opinion, would be more deeply meaningful if we reflected purposely and intentionally first on Friday’s suffering before we celebrated Sunday’s empty tomb. You are free to disagree with me of course. We can still be friends. : ) But you should make your case.
Posted on: Mon, 21 Apr 2014 04:10:41 +0000
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