Good Friday. The day we remember Jesus on the cross. Those few lines written in the gospels many years after the day, prophecies foretelling it, and the despair we feel because of it. A day when we leave church feeling unworthy, saddened, guilty, and quiet. We pray for mercy as even today more than 2000 years later we still do not abide by the teachings of this man.
We do not feed the hungry, clothe the naked, or love our neighbor. We ask for mercy... yet do not stray from our ways! Sigh. Church wake up!!!! Brother and sisters - sacrifice some of your comfort so others can live!!!!
Yes there are many ministries reaching out and doing wonderful things. I have written of the soup kitchen in my town, their are many ministries abroad, there are children's homes and foster care and welfare and food stamps. Today we do not talk about deserving. Jesus didn't deserve to die and he did it to save us. No one deserves to starve and Jesus would not have wondered if they have a job or work or why they need it. He would have loved and gave... he did love and give us everything.
I was very touched by the cross that sat in front of the alter area throughout worship today. At the end of the service the clergy present (it was ecumenical and there were 10+ clergy) picked up the cross and carried it through town to the stations of the cross. It was very moving to see the cross solemnly carried past me...
Throughout the service however I was reminded of a movie (The Boy in the Striped Pajamas) I had watched the night before with a friend. I have been wanting to watch it for a while now and it was very good. **Spoiler alert** (sorry but it's important to my blog, but if you want to watch the movie this is huge!!)
Bruno, an 8 year old son of a German soldier must leave all his friends as his father is transfered to the country to oversee a camp. Bruno is left alone and wants to explore but is forbidden to go behind the house. From his window he can see what he thinks is a farm, but all the farmers are wearing pajamas. Eventually he sneaks away and meets another 8 year old boy on the other side of the fence - wearing pajamas. They become friends, sharing food and company through the fence. One day Schmal (the other boy) shows up at Bruno's home to clean glasses (they needed little fingers) and the boys get caught when Bruno gives him some food. Bruno lies and Schmal gets beaten. Not long after Bruno's mother finds out what the smoke is distraught. She says this is not place for children and plans to leave. Hoping to make up his betrayal to his friend, Bruno agrees to help Schmal find his father who recently went missing. The day he is suppose to leave, Bruno digs a hole under the fence, puts on a pair of pajamas and goes into the camp only to be shuffled into the "showers". His parents discover he is missing moments after he is locked inside and the gas is killing him.
Good friday is all about a undeserved death. We sin, we disobey our maker - the lover of our souls. I sin, I continue to choose myself over others, I do not love my neighbor, I give in to my selfishness. Bruno was an innocent 8 year old child. I can't imagine how that father would feel. I think of him climbing through the bodies to hold his son and how he would have felt.
God could not and would not allow that to happen to us so he sent his son to take our guilt, our pain, and our punishment so that we may have life. Heaven. Love. That's the easter story. That's the passion. That's the story of the gospels. Life, not death.
