Daily Lenten Post, Good Friday

This liturgical year, we're concentrating on the gospel of Mark, so here are some thoughts I have from the crucifixion scene in Mark--Mark 15:16-47.

Of course, the irony is never lost on us, that the soldiers kneel before Jesus to honor him as a big joke, but we know the truth of the situation. I don't know if the whole scene, with the bogus trial and everything, where the charge is a truth that none of the people in power believe, is more difficult or less difficult for us who know the whole story to read through. It would be so much more comfortable to skip all the way to Sunday now, and not to go through the horror of today and the hollow sadness and loss of tomorrow. It's part of our story, though, so we read it and we live into it...and we learn from it. Many of us are not people in the habit of stopping and reflecting on our Good Fridays and our Holy Saturdays. There are new clothes to buy for the kids and there are Easter egg hunts; perhaps there is family in town or family coming for Easter. There is food to prepare, and Easter baskets, and all that other stuff. Heck, even though very few of those things are in store for me these next two days, I'll still be working on an Easter sermon, which will feel out of place...but one can't wait until Easter morning, especially when there is a sunrise service that needs a piano player...

What would happen if we could just stop and "be" on Good Friday and Holy Saturday? What would we feel? What voice would we hear? How would we respond?

What strikes me further about this scene in Mark is the complete misunderstanding of Jesus by so many people. It makes me wonder if we're not foolish to think we can understand Jesus so well today, as I feel like some people claim to do. With the Holy Spirit, we can certainly claim to understand much more than the disciples did, but how often do we really get it "right"? Would we have scoffed at him, too? (Maybe I'm selling us all short, though. If you ask my church members, they'll tell you I'm better at asking questions than answering them...)

There's much more that could be said on this Good Friday, but I will leave you with this. Perhaps you might share your thoughts below (if the comment feature is working properly).