Today we observe Good Friday, the day of the death of Jesus. Many Christian Churches have different ways of observation, to prepare us for the coming resurrection of the Lord on Easter Sunday. Today, the sacrifices we have made during Lent culminate in our internalization of the great offering of Christ’s life. If we have been diligent in our Lenten preparations, Good Friday hits us with a power and force that brings us, literally and figuratively, to our knees with the grasp of what Jesus poured out for us. It becomes personal, a tiny sliver of the cross is buried in our heart. And so each year, we find that we give ourselves over to Christ just a little more through this time of penance and reflection.
It is our wish here in the Tree that you all, so dear to us, and to each other, have a blessed and holy weekend, this most holy time of the year. May the Lamb’s Good Friday sacrifice lead you to the joy we rightfully claim on Easter Sunday. This post mentions some things from my Catholic “language” or viewpoint, if you will. Please share some of the traditions and customs from your church or family with us. Are there special observations and services at your church this weekend?
This post is partially reproduced from previous posts.
The Easter Triduum, the marking of the days of Jesus’ passion and resurrection, the most important time of the church year, begins with the evening Mass of Holy Thursday, reaches its high point in the Easter Vigil, and closes on Easter Sunday evening. After preparing during the days of Lent, we celebrate these holiest of days in the Church year.
Gospel
Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley
to where there was a garden,
into which he and his disciples entered.
Judas his betrayer also knew the place,
because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.
So Judas got a band of soldiers and guards
from the chief priests and the Pharisees
and went there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.
Jesus, knowing everything that was going to happen to him,
went out and said to them, “Whom are you looking for?”
They answered him, “Jesus the Nazorean.”
He said to them, “I AM.”
Judas his betrayer was also with them.
When he said to them, “I AM, “
they turned away and fell to the ground.
So he again asked them,
“Whom are you looking for?”
They said, “Jesus the Nazorean.”
Jesus answered,
“I told you that I AM.
So if you are looking for me, let these men go.”
This was to fulfill what he had said,
“I have not lost any of those you gave me.”
Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it,
struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear.
The slave’s name was Malchus.
Jesus said to Peter,
“Put your sword into its scabbard.
Shall I not drink the cup that the Father gave me?”
So the band of soldiers, the tribune, and the Jewish guards seized Jesus,
bound him, and brought him to Annas first.
He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas,
who was high priest that year.
It was Caiaphas who had counseled the Jews
that it was better that one man should die rather than the people.
Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus.
Now the other disciple was known to the high priest,
and he entered the courtyard of the high priest with Jesus.
But Peter stood at the gate outside.
So the other disciple, the acquaintance of the high priest,
went out and spoke to the gatekeeper and brought Peter in.
Then the maid who was the gatekeeper said to Peter,
“You are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?”
He said, “I am not.”
Now the slaves and the guards were standing around a charcoal fire
that they had made, because it was cold,
and were warming themselves.
Peter was also standing there keeping warm.
The high priest questioned Jesus
about his disciples and about his doctrine.
Jesus answered him,
“I have spoken publicly to the world.
I have always taught in a synagogue
or in the temple area where all the Jews gather,
and in secret I have said nothing. Why ask me?
Ask those who heard me what I said to them.
They know what I said.”
When he had said this,
one of the temple guards standing there struck Jesus and said,
“Is this the way you answer the high priest?”
Jesus answered him,
“If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong;
but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?”
Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
Now Simon Peter was standing there keeping warm.
And they said to him,
“You are not one of his disciples, are you?”
He denied it and said,
“I am not.”
One of the slaves of the high priest,
a relative of the one whose ear Peter had cut off, said,
“Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?”
Again Peter denied it.
And immediately the cock crowed.
Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the praetorium.
It was morning.
And they themselves did not enter the praetorium,
in order not to be defiled so that they could eat the Passover.
So Pilate came out to them and said,
“What charge do you bring against this man?”
They answered and said to him,
“If he were not a criminal,
we would not have handed him over to you.”
At this, Pilate said to them,
“Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law.”
The Jews answered him,
“We do not have the right to execute anyone,“
in order that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled
that he said indicating the kind of death he would die.
So Pilate went back into the praetorium
and summoned Jesus and said to him,
“Are you the King of the Jews?”
Jesus answered,
“Do you say this on your own
or have others told you about me?”
Pilate answered,
“I am not a Jew, am I?
Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me.
What have you done?”
Jesus answered,
“My kingdom does not belong to this world.
If my kingdom did belong to this world,
my attendants would be fighting
to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.
But as it is, my kingdom is not here.”
So Pilate said to him,
“Then you are a king?”
Jesus answered,
“You say I am a king.
For this I was born and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”
Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”
When he had said this,
he again went out to the Jews and said to them,
“I find no guilt in him.
But you have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at Passover.
Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
They cried out again,
“Not this one but Barabbas!”
Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.
Then Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged.
And the soldiers wove a crown out of thorns and placed it on his head,
and clothed him in a purple cloak,
and they came to him and said,
“Hail, King of the Jews!”
And they struck him repeatedly.
Once more Pilate went out and said to them,
“Look, I am bringing him out to you,
so that you may know that I find no guilt in him.”
So Jesus came out,
wearing the crown of thorns and the purple cloak.
And he said to them, “Behold, the man!”
When the chief priests and the guards saw him they cried out,
“Crucify him, crucify him!”
Pilate said to them,
“Take him yourselves and crucify him.
I find no guilt in him.”
The Jews answered,
“We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die,
because he made himself the Son of God.”
Now when Pilate heard this statement,
he became even more afraid,
and went back into the praetorium and said to Jesus,
“Where are you from?”
Jesus did not answer him.
So Pilate said to him,
“Do you not speak to me?
Do you not know that I have power to release you
and I have power to crucify you?”
Jesus answered him,
“You would have no power over me
if it had not been given to you from above.
For this reason the one who handed me over to you
has the greater sin.”
Consequently, Pilate tried to release him; but the Jews cried out,
“If you release him, you are not a Friend of Caesar.
Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.”
When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus out
and seated him on the judge’s bench
in the place called Stone Pavement, in Hebrew, Gabbatha.
It was preparation day for Passover, and it was about noon.
And he said to the Jews,
“Behold, your king!”
They cried out,
“Take him away, take him away! Crucify him!”
Pilate said to them,
“Shall I crucify your king?”
The chief priests answered,
“We have no king but Caesar.”
Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.
So they took Jesus, and, carrying the cross himself,
he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull,
in Hebrew, Golgotha.
There they crucified him, and with him two others,
one on either side, with Jesus in the middle.
Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross.
It read,
“Jesus the Nazorean, the King of the Jews.”
Now many of the Jews read this inscription,
because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city;
and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.
So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate,
“Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’
but that he said, ‘I am the King of the Jews’.”
Pilate answered,
“What I have written, I have written.”
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus,
they took his clothes and divided them into four shares,
a share for each soldier.
They also took his tunic, but the tunic was seamless,
woven in one piece from the top down.
So they said to one another,
“Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it will be, “
in order that the passage of Scripture might be fulfilled that says:
They divided my garments among them,
and for my vesture they cast lots.
This is what the soldiers did.
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother
and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary of Magdala.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved
he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”
Then he said to the disciple,
“Behold, your mother.”
And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
After this, aware that everything was now finished,
in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled,
Jesus said, “I thirst.”
There was a vessel filled with common wine.
So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop
and put it up to his mouth.
When Jesus had taken the wine, he said,
“It is finished.”
And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.
Here all kneel and pause for a short time.
Now since it was preparation day,
in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath,
for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one,
the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken
and that they be taken down.
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first
and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead,
they did not break his legs,
but one soldier thrust his lance into his side,
and immediately blood and water flowed out.
An eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true;
he knows that he is speaking the truth,
so that you also may come to believe.
For this happened so that the Scripture passage might be fulfilled:
Not a bone of it will be broken.
And again another passage says:
They will look upon him whom they have pierced.
After this, Joseph of Arimathea,
secretly a disciple of Jesus for fear of the Jews,
asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus.
And Pilate permitted it.
So he came and took his body.
Nicodemus, the one who had first come to him at night,
also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes
weighing about one hundred pounds.
They took the body of Jesus
and bound it with burial cloths along with the spices,
according to the Jewish burial custom.
Now in the place where he had been crucified there was a garden,
and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had yet been buried.
So they laid Jesus there because of the Jewish preparation day;
for the tomb was close by.
I would also like to share a paragraph from The Catechism of the Catholic Church.
In Her Magisterial teaching of the faith and in the witness of her saints, the Church has never forgotten that “sinners were the authors and the ministers of all the sufferings the Divine Redeemer endured.” Taking into account the fact that our sins affect Christ himself, the Church does not hesitate to impute to Christians the gravest responsibility for the torment inflicted upon Jesus, a responsiblity with which they have all too often burdened the Jews alone.
Please, no political commentary. None.
I asked a good friend, who is on his umpteenth reading of the whole bible, why God chose hanging on the cross, rather than something else, for his son. The age-old idea, that choosing that would prove he meant business….I just don’t get it! Seems like a very wrong deed to get a good one is fool hardy, when God is in charge and could have made some other act serve the same purpose.
P.S. I am late to the party and don’t get what I am supposed to do so i don’t have to keep signing my name and e-mail address. I mut be skipping the rules for this new site. Where are they?
Thank you for your post Margarie. My old time Byzantine Catholic religion is somehow very important to me this Easter. More so in my life than ever.
Still remember my Dad cooking potato latkes on a baking sheet in the oven. And my dear Dad watch his creation cooking like a hawk. I also remember the feeling of almost starving to death on Easter weekend: no fish, no meat, or dairy products. Well, I guess an egg is not a dairy product.
My 90 year old Aunt passed away on Jan 25.2020. We didn’t have the heart to resurrect her Slovak meal. My cousins and I are doing our best to recreate the meal she would provide for us on Easter. Except now, I am adding my family to the meal as well. Horseradish with beets, etc. Every food is symbolic of something Biblical.
While chopping onions, carrots , onions, etc tonight, I tuned into a song from Handel’s Messiah. Most think of this great work as a Christmas tune. But it is an oratorio for ALL TIMES.
Look for “Comfort Ye.” on the boobtube. It will play for hours.
Comfort and joy to all.
Wishing all a Blessed Easter.
MelH, here are some thoughts and Scripture on the matter you bring up.
Part of the laws, statutes, and ordinances given through Moses concerned matters of punishment. One of them dealt with those put to death on a tree, with a description on the curse related to the one executed after having “committed a sin worthy of death”:
“If a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is executed, and you hang his body on a tree, you must not leave the body on the tree overnight, but you must be sure to bury him that day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must not defile the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:22-23).
In the prophetic book of Isaiah, a man is described as God’s “righteous servant” (cf. Isaiah 53:11) as well as someone onto whom God would lay “the iniquity of us all” (cf. Isaiah 53:6). Additionally per Isaiah 53:9, “He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in His death. although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.” Accordingly, Jesus Christ died the death of a criminal despite His innocence and the truthfulness of His claims to be the Messiah and the Son of God (cf. Mark 14:61-62).
Further verses from Isaiah 53 appear to describe what sinful humanity deserved as punishment for sin, yet the righteous servant bore all of that to the benefit of many: “Surely He took on our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken by God, struck down and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5).
In Galatians 3:13-14, the apostle Paul related verses from Deuteronomy to what God achieved by giving His Son over for the purpose He did: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it has been written: “Cursed is everyone hanging on a tree”— so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that through faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”
In Galatians 4:4-7, Paul spoke further about the great purposes being worked out through Christ’s redemptive work:
“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, having been born of a woman, having been born under the Law, that He might redeem those under the Law, so that we might receive the divine adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” So you are no longer a bond servant but a son; and if a son, also an heir through God.”
Putting an even sharper focus on the manner of Christ’s death, what was foretold concerning God’s righteous servant is quite stark:
Isaiah 53:10-12 “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin,
He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
It pleased God to bruise the Messiah? We know that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God, and it is clear in Scripture
that God loves His Son (John 5:20) and is well pleased with Him, having testified Himself to this before man (Luke 3:22, Matthew 17:5, 2 Peter 1:17-19), so how are we to understand this? Let’s start with one of the most well-known verses in Scripture, John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
Further context shows the connection between the purpose for the bruising (cf. Genesis 3:15) all while Jesus the Son of God and Messiah remained beloved of the Father:
John 3:14-17 — “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, thus it behooves the Son of Man to be lifted up, so that everyone believing in Him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave the only begotten Son, so that everyone believing in Him should not perish, but should have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world that He might judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”
All of those purposes related directly to those in Isaiah 53 as far as God’s offer salvation and deliverance from our sins. It stands to reason that as further purposes of God are being worked out, there are things that on the surface have raised questions as to why they are happening or about the manner in which things are or aren’t allowed to happen:
1 John 3:8b For this reason the Son of God was revealed, so that He might destroy the works of the devil.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord does not delay the promise, as some esteem slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but all to come to repentance
God has been and is working out the purpose in the first Scripture above (which includes reconciliation per 2 Cor 5:18-20 and Col 1:19-20), while also seeking the purpose in the second. As evidenced by Isaiah 53:10, some things that are absolutely not a desired outcome in and of themselves (the bruising of the LORD’s righteous servant) are nonetheless according to God’s will and purpose.
It is good to bear this in mind, especially when questions come to mind. God is working out His purposes, and this work is not in vain. Hopefully, seeing some connections in Scripture related to God‘s redemptive purposes can be of some comfort and assurance. The level of penalty deserved for humanity’s sin is something that was fitting to be made clear to humanity, especially as it is good for us to appreciate the true level of sacrifice and payment that occur per when God gave his Son for us.
Once again, God uses His servants – – in this case John – – to convey messages related to this that point us towards receiving His gift of salvation for which a great price has been paid, as well as towards loving God and loving others:
1 John 4:9-11 — “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
Thanks to both you and Mel. This kind of questioning, and your excellent answers, are the reason that I do these posts. I always pray that someone finds an open door that leads them where God is calling them to go.
From St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein, convert from Judaism and martyred by the Nazis in Poland):
For the death on the cross is the salvific solution invented by God’s unfathomable wisdom. In order to show that human power and human wisdom are incapable of achieving salvation, he gives salvific power to what appears to human estimation to be weak and foolish, to him who wishes to be nothing on his own, but allows the power of God alone to work in him, who has “emptied himself” and “become obedient to death on the cross.”
The sins of mankind put Jesus on the cross. He willingly chose to take up our sins, suffer so much and then die for us so that we could be redeemed and have a chance at reconciliation with God. It was not the act of a vengeful god demanding punishment, it was an act of selfless love so that we could be forgiven our trespasses against our Creator.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmvVPEMRZUc
Mel, “…without the shedding of blood, there is no remission [of sins].” Heb. 9:22
Blood has to be shed; there’s no other way. Under the Law, sinners brought their sacrifices to the priests; and since they kept sinning, they had to keep offering sacrifices. The animals to sacrifice had to be “without blemish; without spot”.
Under Grace, Jesus became the one time offering for sin. Jesus offered Himself for the sins of the world, from Adam all the way to the end of time. He doesn’t have to keep dying/suffering. At the end of His agony on the cross, He said “It is finished.” God doesn’t want any to perish, but would that all come to repentance.
As awful as the cross was, I suspect that Jesus most dreaded the period there when He became sin; our sin; even those of us who refuse to believe. For the first and only time ever, the Father turned His face away from His Son and judged our sin that was on Him. For Jesus, that was the horror He dreaded most, I think.
BTW, crucifixion was a Roman penalty for the worst criminals. The religious leadership that engineered Jesus’ death, didn’t want those men hanging on their crosses over the Passover holiday. So they asked Pilate to break the condemned men’s legs to kill them sooner. (Breaking legs caused them to be unable to raise themselves to breathe; that and the shock caused a quick death. Jesus, as prophesied, had no bones broken, because He was already dead.)
Somewhere in the Roman Empire, some miserable soul hanged from a cross for thirteen days before he died. It was unusual enough that a Roman official made a note of it. That guy must have had the constitution of an ox.
I remember reading that crucifixion was invented by the Phoenicians a few hundred years (circa 800 BC) after the composition of Psalm 22 (during the time of King David (1000-950 BC) which eerily foretold of the manner of His death.
When in Rome, or Jerusalem rather, do as the Jews…er Roman’s? That was the worst punishment a human could endure at the time. The cross part was probably added in later to blend the newborn pagan religion Rome quickly created at the behest of their fallen overlord. Crosses have a deep rooted symbology in ancient satan worshipping pagan religions. They worshipped the ‘Son’, and if you have eyes to see all one has to do is look around at all the signs and symbols in Rome to see it has nothing to do with Christ.
Humanity gave itself over to sin by disobediently eating of the tree of forbidden fruit. So it is fitting that our Savior redeemed us on the wood of the Cross. God seems to have many themes that repeat themselves to those who catch their meaning.
God Bless you all
I am also Catholic and get very emotional during the Lenten season especially on Good Friday. I always feel so guilty and remorseful thinking about the suffering our Lord endured because of my sins that it brings me to my knees, as it should. But when Easter arrives what a difference! An exhilarating feeling takes over because His love is so great and conquered death for us all. How truly blessed we are – Thanks be to God!
Thank you Menagerie for sharing your thoughts & faith with these posts. I always look forward to them.
Thank GOD for His Death and Resurrection! Good Friday, the only day in the year where Mass is not performed–we are so lucky to be Catholic, to be constantly reminded what He Did For us ♥♥
Only the Eucharist is distributed on Good Friday within the celebration of the Lord’s passion. No mass nor Eucharist on Holy Saturday until the Easter Vigil.
For God So loved this world.
Thank you Menagerie.
Fwiw, here is my favorite Easter song. The Passion of Christ – Enya, May it Be – YouTube
Everybody can believe what they like ,but you c
annot, deny the Profound,and enduring affect that Jesus ,has had upon the whole world.
Even if you were an atheist. If you studied history, you would have to admit,that ,He has had, more influence ,on the world, ….
Totally agree.
Jesus Christ is the only one who split history! BC and AD. There is no denying it.
That is why they have tried to change it to Common Era… .
They want to erase Him and His impact on the world.
Thank you Menagerie
Have posted a link to this at https://freedomaustralia.freeforums.net/thread/1025/good-friday
Jesus, on the way to his crucifixion, and in the midst of great pain, encounters his mother for an instant. Both share in the same pain: the pain he feels for his people; the pain she feels for her Son. Jesus is about to fulfill his mission by sacrificing himself for the forgiveness of sins, while Mary remembers the words spoken to her: “and you yourself a sword will pierce.” However, that pain reflects the greatest love and hope at the same time. God gives us the opportunity to encounter Christ and his mother, and feel the love and comfort only he can offer. How do we look at Jesus and Mary when we encounter them in our daily lives? Do we rejoice in the pain of others? Or do we show compassion, love and hope? How many times have we felt immense pain? To whom do we plea? Do we let ourselves be consumed by troubles? Or do we trust in God’s will? It is up to us to answer “yes,” in the same way Mary and Jesus did. Let us remember that even the greatest pain may be comforted by an expression of love. (Hat tip-Diocese of Little Rock).
And
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Mag′dalene. When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. (John 19:25-27) (Hat Tip NC Register)
Let us all remember that without the obedience of a young girl, this, our salvation, would not be possible. Without the obedience of the Son of God, our salvation would not be possible.
https://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/seven-sorrows-prayers.html
My grandmother was very devoted to Mary and the Holy Family. I remember sitting at her knee, listening to her tell me how much The Mother of God loved us. While this week is about Jesus and our salvation and the forgiveness of sin, we must contemplate and ponder these things, too, in our hearts, as did Mary.
God Bless my fellow Treepers.
Today on Good Friday in Hong Kong was spent handing out food to the needy in the Nepalese community. We are truly blessed for what Christ has sacrificed for us! God bless to all and much love abounds from my heart for our family here!
? ? ?
John Debney ~ Crucifixion (7:24)
Thank you Menagerie, for these Easter posts as well as all the others you post all year, year after year. They always stir the heart and elevate the spirit, united with our Lord.
God bless you, your family and all who gather here.
Father, thank You for Sending Your Son.
Mary, thank you for bearing Him.
Holy Spirit, thank You for the Trinity,
Jesus, thank You for Your Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity ♥
(one of my ‘Thank You’ prayers I say every day)
It has taken me a long time, but I have recently started reading the Bible. Many times I have picked it up, but not stuck to it. I am reading a few pages a day and have so far gotten to 2 Samuel. My son gave me this Bible and it is my intent to have it with me the rest of my days here on earth and I hope to have it with me at all times, wear the pages out and take it with me to my grave. I am in pursuit of knowing God and have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. My heart and soul is already feeling the presence of God in my life. For the first time ever in my life I feel a level of peace and tranquility I have ever known and I know it is Gods presence. Anyhow, with a lump n my throat and tears of joy, I wanted to share this with whom I consider my people. God Bless and Happy Easter!
Happy Easter and I hope you share your progress on the Bible reading as you go along.
Praise the Lord! Thank you for sharing your testimony.
Most of you might know the story of the goldfinch (bird). A goldfinch watched Jesus carry the cross and suffer and tries to help by eating the thorns off his crown and the goldfinch bleed a little on his head. Now the goldfinch has a red crown and if not will pass it on to his children.
In life we all can be like the goldfinch and do little things to help Christianity and all. If unable, teach our children to help so the word of Christ is never lost.
Remember that the comments by the Roman soldiers and the Jews present at the cross are comments (temptations) inspired by Satan who would have Jesus come down from the cross to break the prophecy of the Old Testament, and His own prophecy, that he would be lifted up ( Joh 3:14). Beware that the Devil roams about like a roaring lion yesterday and today gathering what souls who would fall prey to his wiles.
It is a Catholic tradition (lower case “t”) to observe silence between noon and three pm on Good Friday in reverence for the three hours Christ hung on the cross. The only real talking during that period would be praying the Stations of the Cross.
My family ends that time with the reading of the poem “The Death of King Conner MacNessa”. Great read to end that most mournful part of our day.
Thank you Menagerie for all you do helping us celebrate our “Sacred Feasts” and celebrations of “our Savior”! Found this wonderful video on ‘the federalist’ on Christmas Eve…..a foreshadowing….and coming Easter….a completion. Watch full screen…(oh and -skip ads)
My favorite hymn
“Because He lives…”
Thank you! Your post brought me back to the reason we celebrate Easter.
I want to relate a real life story.
I graduated from Holy Trinity High School in Georgetown, DC. I was 17 and had grown up in a very Catholic family with daily rosaries, novenas and of course, Mass on Holy Days and Sunday.
I did not go to college right away.Instead I was hired at a brokerage firm on H street doing menial tasks for the brokers.
On Good Friday of the year following graduation I had to work but was not very happy because I had been used to going to Stations of the Cross that day.
So there was a Catholic Church about a mile from my work but I knew I couldnt ask for time off.
But around 11:30 one of my bosses came up to me out of the blue and said I could have the afternoon off because it was Good Friday.
I had never told this man I was Catholic or that I felt badly about working on Good Friday. In fact, I never told anyone at the firm I went to church. Of course, from my application they knew I had graduated from a Catholic school but that was all.
So I realized later this man had been ‘Christ-inspired’ to give me the afternoon off and that incident, although seemingly insignificant at the time, has stayed with me to always remember how important today is leading up to the Resurrection.
My employer always gave us the afternoon off. In later years, we were excused from work for the entire day.
By the way, you don’t have to be a Catholic to observe Good Friday. All Christians recognize and observe the day.
Yes, I know all Christians observe Good Friday. I was just relaying my experience as a Catholic and as still a teenager I was very shy about saying anything not relating to work so it was really a miracle he approached me on that day. My point is that small miracles happen all the time and stay with you throughout your life.
It’s the little things, it’s always the little things.
On Good Friday, to see G-d waking up nature…the dogwoods blooming against the Japanese maple red leaves and redbuds; the oaks, elms and crepe myrtles leafing out, the tulips in their glory….in expectation of celebrating the resurrection of Christ….
as i get older, i appeciate the miracle of spring evermore. life renewed, how coincidental eh?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j3NZEdHQaI. Hallelujah!!!!!!
Every time I read the story of His crucifixion, the tears flow. He did this for us! For each human being. Even if one of us was the only lost sheep, the Shepherd would still sacrifice His life to save us. We are that important to Him.
I had a brother who died recently. He lived a life of terrible choices and died too young. But I know he knew Jesus at a young age, and I pray he met the Lord, again, in his final moments on this earth. Christ died for us while we were yet sinners. I cling to that fact.
I pray for a massive revival in our country. Amen.
I’ve been hemming and hawing over whether to respond to you or not. But, here goes. I recently lost one of my brothers, he was 54. It was a shock. Twilight zone shock totally unexpected. And then 15 days later we buried my only sister last week. That was a celebration of her freedom! She had been in a nursing home for the last 28 years due to a debilitating stroke. But, we know what happened, little brother adored her, they were tight. He came and said c’mon sis, it’s time to go. Life is strange. God is good. This is the real
Sincere Condolences ??
Sincere Condolences ??
Retired Magistrate here: When JESUS was dying on the Cross HE cried out “My GOD, My GOD why have you forsaken me.” The physical pain that JESUS suffered while hanging on the cross was just part of the pain that JESUS endured. For the first time in eternity HE was separated from GOD. GOD, who is holy, could not look on HIS son because JESUS was taking on the sin of the world. Think of it. Just my sins alone are disgusting enough, but the sins of the whole world, past, present and future; it is just an amazing gift that GOD has given us-salvation through JESUS.
Yes, today, Good Friday, is the bad news that JESUS died on the cross; however, you have to know the bad news before you can understand the Good News: that JESUS died for your sins and rose from the dead and now sits in heaven on GOD’s right hand constantly interceding for you. What does this mean? Death has lost its sting; heaven awaits you if you have put your trust in JESUS the CHRIST. Today, you can have the assurance that when you breathe your last breath, you will be in heaven with JESUS if you accept him as Savior today.
Everyone have a blessed Easter.
AMEN! I have experienced that separation and during it, tried to “see” what was before me… blackness, nothingness, feeling dead while breathing. Jesus experienced that separation and His cry was so profound it reverberated around heaven. But GOD in His infinite knowledge had a wonderful plan of reunion for His Son and those that would believe. Hallelujah! Praise His Holy Name! He is Risen!
Thank you Jesus for your ultimate sacrifice so that we may have everlasting life!
AMEN!
I would say the greatest love of all is when one lays down his own life for that of his fellow beings. I thank Jesus for his love and his sacrifice.
Happy Good Friday to one and all. It commemorates the greatest and most important event in world history, the God-man Jesus Christ willingly allowing the Romans and other religious leaders to put Him to death on a cross, a common and cruel form of capital punishment at that time. Crucified people oft languished on the cross for days suffering before dying. The Romans broke Christ’s legs and speared His side to hasten His death.
To their eternal detriment the God man could not be kept in a grave despite their best efforts to do so. On the third day as He said and prophet’s had written about centuries before He rose from the dead in victory over sin and the devil. The veil in the temple was immediately torn in half abolishing the need of a priesthood and intercessors for man to approach God. In the book of Hebrews it says man then could “come boldly to the throne of grace” on his own.
The once for all perfect sacrifice of a God man that lived a sinless life eliminated the need for all animal sacrifices and ushered us into a period of grace by which any person that believes in Jesus Christ, accepts His once for all sacrifice, repents (is sorry for) their sin and asks for forgiveness will be given eternal life in Heaven with God. The other option is terrifying eternal existence in a place of great torment where you pay the price for the sins you refused to seek forgiveness for.. Once God has forgiven you you are a son and not a bastard. You cannot lose that salvation but as any good father would you will be chastised for disobedience for your own good.
Many sects view Good Friday and salvation differently and celebrate it differently. Any that do not mesh with what the Holy Bible says are cults. Stay away from them. Praise Jesus for what He did for us. Amen.
Much of what you’ve stated is unbiblical…one example…
Ie- Our Lord’s legs were NOT broken (another fulfillment of the prophets)
Can sniff out an anti- Catholic miles away lol…
Good Friday is a myth perpetuated by the Roman-based “church.” Yeshua died and was buried on Passover, which is on the 14th of the first month (of God’s calendar) equivalent to our Wednesday that year. The next day is the Feast Unleavened Bread (our Thursday, which began shortly after he was buried at sunset) and was a high sabbath. The day after that (our Friday) the women gathered the spices, then the next day was the weekly sabbath, and He rose just at sunset, which is three full days and nights since He had died. The women arrived at the tomb early on Sunday morning to see He was not there. To understand Scripture properly, you have to be able to count to three! “
Found in the bin…. 🙁
If the Messiah modeled his death, burial and resurrection three days and three nights timeline on Jonah as he said, and he was raised on Sunday, why is his death acknowledged only two nights earlier on Friday?
Why is His resurrection day named after a pagan god?
Isn’t it time to cancel the non-existent goddess Astarte having anything to do with the creator of the heavens and the earth?
I think it would be better to focus on the meaning of the sacrifice made for us rather than the label or the particular day it took place.
I’m sure you feel very smart to point this out, but it really serves no positive purpose here.
Lord Jesus Christ, you are the Lamb of God; you take away the sins of the world.
Through the grace of the Holy Spirit restore me to friendship with thy Father, cleanse me from every stain of sin in the blood you shed for me, and raise me up to new life for the glory of thy name.
…
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
From the hauntingly beautiful Gregorian chant Reproaches to the short clip of The Passion of the Christ, we are once again reminded of and so humbled by the Gift of our eternal salvation.
We are not worthy, but immensely and eternally grateful. Thank you, Jesus!
Mother Angelica built The Shrine of The Most Blessed Sacrament https://olamshrine.com/about/
It is a beautiful place. In a small room beneath the sanctuary there is a display of The Shroud of Turin. Pope John Paul made a gift of a replica of the Shroud, life size, accurate in the last detail including the weave of the fabric. It is displayed between two pieces of glass hung from the ceiling. Around the shroud are display cases, built into the walls, containing replicas of the instruments the Romans used to beat and torture Jesus. The whips were of thick leather strips with a triangle of lead affixed to the end of each strip. Fifty lashes with that whip would cut to the bone, through muscle, tendon and ligament. The Blood of Christ was-and-is a new element in the physical earth including its surrounding space and all that space contains; galaxies of stars, everything. When the Holy Spirit overcame Mother Mary and fertilized an egg in her womb, the Seed came from God our Father. No man like the Christ-man had ever lived before or since like the man-being of our LORD when He walked the earth as a man among men. The evil Kenite Pharisees and the Romans conspired to kill God Incarnate. They failed. The new element of Christ’s Blood changed the world. “Glory to God in the highest and on earth. Peace! Goodwill toward men.” Amen. Amen. Amen.
I’ve been to the shine, and seen the display. It is something you can’t put into words, the experience.
TY Menagerie always have enjoyed reading you forums during Easter and Christmas.
This is one of my favorite songs for Good Friday and Easter weekend. Two versions for it was hard for me to choose.
Were You There – Johnny Cash
Were You There When They Crucified My Lord
I was raised Catholic, went to Catholic school through 8th grade, and ever since I was in elementary school I always felt like something was slightly off. I always questioned how you get 3 days out of 2? Friday at 3pm, to Sunday is 2 days. So idk if the monks monked time up so bad they lost track, or we’re not being told something? Anyways, the whole, died on Friday and in 3 days rose again thing was like nails on the proverbial chalkboard, and my Priest or nuns never had a good enough answer other than, my personal favorite, “I don’t know!” And I’m not afraid to say I don’t know. I just know you can’t get 3 days out of 2.
There is enough historical astronomical information extant to shew that Jesus was crucified and entombed before sundown on what we now call “Wednesday.” The Jews have kept thousands of years’ worth of copious records of all their high holy days. In Jewish timekeeping, a new day begins and an old day ends at sundown. You can look it up. Sundown Wednesday to sundown Thursday = 1 day. Sundown Thursday to sundown Friday = 2 days. Sundown Friday to sundown Saturday = 3 days. The LORD was preaching to the departed during those 3 days. He returned to the body of what had been his flesh at sundown Saturday, the end of the Jewish Sabbath day. “Glory to God in the highest and on earth! Peace! Goodwill toward men!”
I watched the Passion of The Christ…..3 times this week. Every time I caught something new or saw something in a new light. Truly a great movie.
Here’s a great apologetic study of the resurrection by Lee Strobel.
The Case For Easter Session 1
The Case For Easter Session 2
The Case For Easter Session 3
The Case For Easter Session 4
No, it is not “Happy Friday”, but given it is the day of our Lord’s Vicarious Atonement for our sin and the death of our death by His death, it is most certainly GOOD Friday. Sadly, many Christians skip it and just attend Easter Sunday, when they are meant to go together, like the two sides of one coin. I mean, Easter Sunday without Good Friday is far from comforting…sure, you have eternal life as all do, believer and unbeliever alike, but apart from being rooted in His Atoning work for our sin on Good Friday, you won’t live out that eternal life in Heaven, but in the “other place”. Yeesh.
Thank you.