Good Friday

Just the name “Good Friday” represents the paradox that is Christ. When else could crucifixion be named good? Through this evil, this violence, this fear, this injustice comes freedom, peace, reconciliation, and hope. It makes no sense. Jesus doesn’t make sense. But Jesus is. Relying on rationality is a crutch—a way to prevent appearing stupid for believing in that which does not hold up to any reasonable argument. But denying reality just because we don’t understand it is ridiculous and arrogant. Good Friday points to a plan beyond our own, a will beyond our own, a Being beyond the limited scope of human existence and imagination. I am thankful and find hope in being small. For if I am big, hope is very small indeed. I need hope.

In Good Friday, we go to the depths with Christ for as far as we can humanly go and then we watch as Christ in his divinity goes deeper. Knowing the depth gives us a sense of the height of Sunday morning.

The goodness of Good Friday is that its darkness, its evil, its sorrow cannot match the hope and joy of Easter. The goodness of Good Friday is that it is not the end. Only people who know and live the rest of the story could ever name this day “Good Friday.”