Good Friday

    Today marks one of the biggest days on the Christian calendar.  It is when Jesus was crucified.  This service is one of my favorites.  I have about 3, Good Friday, Ash Wednesday and Christmas Eve (Midnight Mass).  Ash Wednesday because there is something about remembering that we came from dust and that dust we shall return.  The circle of life, and no matter your faith, or if you have faith or perhaps not we all have to agree that yes we all die and go back to the earth from which we came.  Giving back to our mother planet as she gave to us.  Remember that we are just a small part of this universe.  The size of a speck of dust and it doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, famous or not, man or woman, it doesn’t matter the color of your skin, where you were born or who you know, we all give back and help the circle continue. 

    The late service at Christmas is a joyous one, the holiday spirit in the air and the weather changing.  It is a sense of renal.  But I will blog about those at a later date.  I wanted to take a moment to blog about Good Friday.  Being someone of faith I don’t blog to push my faith but I do like to blog about it and what it means to me and how it mixes in as being a single Dad.  Good Friday is a serious and sad because we know what it represents and that yes Easter is coming, but before the light can shine there was a sad and dark hour.  I try to think about Faith when I can besides just going to church and I think about how it would be knowing that you had to give you life up for humanity.  Now I know there are many other views and religions but being Good Friday I wanted to just post about it. 

    This is the day Jesus was crucified.  I try to imagine what it must be like the night before knowing what you have to go through.  We go through our day and say “uhh tomorrow I got a meeting or busy day”.  How many of us have to wake up or think well tomorrow I have to give up my life for humanity…  Good Friday makes us remember what was giving for us and that we can’t always just live in the now.  I do feel that yes we as humans honor the past and remember it but I still can’t help but feel we live in the now.  We move on to the next thing comes along.  Now moving on is important in life of course.  If we didn’t well nothing would ever get done!  I guess being in my church on Friday Night with the quietness and listening to the service makes me remember that no matter how much I give or think about others I’m still alive and there are others like soldiers and service men and woman who do give their lives to protect us.  I think about Good Friday and almost link it to a day of thanksgiving.  I’m thankful to have a faith that I love and family, friends and a community that loves me. 

    I wake up in a country that is safe and that we as Americans live free and that I don’t have to wake up to gun fire or a country at war.  Fresh water, a justice system and service men and women that will rush to our aid if we call.  We are blessed with what we have and today I sit in silence and give thanks for what was given on Good Friday so many years ago.  I guess just being in a quiet place looking up at the alter and seeing the black linen draped across the large cross and a stripped alter just reminds me that today someone gave the ultimate sacrifice, their life.  I sit and pray and be at peace for Easter is on its way but before we can all celebrate the joys of life we have to remember it was given at a cost.  I like Good Friday because it makes Easter that much more special.  It reminds me that yes on Easter I celebrate but know in the back of my mind that three days ago a life was given.  I always thank God for everything I have been giving, but on Good Friday I seem to always pray harder because I know what was given for me. 

    So I say to you reading this post, no matter your faith or background think of Good Friday not just a day for Christians but a day to think about giving.  Think about people around the world keeping us safe and protecting us.  Think about our families and parents that have given us everything we have.  Think about anyone that has offered assistance.  Even the slightest of gestures like holding the door of us.   This is what Good Friday means to me…   So I urge you to try to give a little more, help where you can and always remember what was given to us…

Although we have never met, I do love you...

Always remember,

You are never alone…

Love

Christopher