Palm Sunday… Easter. How often do we rush from one to another? This year our Spring Break falls during Holy Week. This has given me time to ponder and reflect on the actions and teachings of Jesus that occurred between the Hosannas of Palm Sunday and the Hallelujahs of Easter.
Today, Good Friday, is a day that could easily slip by unless we take the time to experience Jesus’ trial, scourging, ridicule, crucifixion, and death as if we were right there with the crowds. Too often we Protestants are quick to dismiss the crucifix in favor of the empty cross. I understand that the empty cross is meant to remind us of Christ’s resurrection, but on this day I need – as I think we all do – to gaze into the eyes of the tortured Christ on the cross. Only then will we really begin to understand the depth of God’s loving sacrifice of his only Son for the forgiveness of our sins.
So let’s not hurry through today. Take time to read Scripture, pray and reflect on the suffering and sacrifice of the One chose to die for you and for me. Easter is coming, but the empty tomb will be empty of meaning unless we remember Who was laid there on Good Friday.
I've come to feel this way more as the years pass. Like many, I am guilty of wanting to skip to the Hallelujah Chorus. We love the so-called Christmas section of Handel's Messiah. And we love the Hallelujah Chorus, always tacked on to the Christmas performances. We tend to skip the somber music in between. (All We Like Sheep; Surely, Surely He Has Borne Our Griefs, etc.) Good post, Jill.
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