Go Home. There is Nothing More to See.

Good Friday at St. Pauls Church. The Stations of the Cross.

Station 1 Pilate Condemns Jesus to Die
Station 2 Jesus Accepts His Cross
Station 3 Simon Helps to Carry the Cross
Station 4 Jesus Speaks to the Women
Station 5 Jesus is Stripped of his Garments
Station 6 Jesus is Nailed to the Cross
Station 7 Jesus Cares for His Mother
Station 8 Jesus Dies on the Cross

Scripture readings and devotional readings brought Jesus journey and mine together, weaving history  together with the present. Happenings of more than 2000 years ago, events written down soon after, relating to people all through the ages, teaching, rebuking, training in righteousness for more than all of my yesterdays, finding relevance in my heart tonight (again).

Responsively we read:
We adore you O Christ and we bless you
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Finally we prayed: O Lord, I cannot comprehend the depth and breadth of your love. There are not enough words in all languages together to describe what your love means to me... O Lord, we long for newness, for hope, for renewal, for life where there is now death. Out of this darkness bring to us the light of a new dawn. O Lord have mercy on us.

O Lord hear our prayers. We hope in you and trust in your mercy.

The old rugged cross before us, lights extinguished all around us, the pastor carried the last candle to the back of the church and said:

We hope for the dawning of a new day. We hope for God to bring newness out of endings. But today...Go Home. There is nothing more to see. Jesus Christ is dead.

(Adapted portions from "A Service of the Stations of the Cross"

by Dennis Bratcher Copyright 2011)

My heavy heart pounding, emotions raw with sympathy for Mary, the mother of Jesus. How could she possibly bear that scene? My love went out to my Savior who endured the pain and humiliation of the cross for me. So final, it seemed to me, so final.

But this is only Friday. I know that Sunday is coming. Sadness will be cast aside and gratitude will take its place.