In this E-pistle

HOW CAN WE CALL THIS DAY GOOD?
OUR TRIUMPHANT JOYFUL DAY

HOW CAN WE CALL THIS DAY GOOD FRIDAY? In most of the Romance Languages, the day on which we commemorate Christ’s crucifixion is known as Holy Friday. In Denmark they call it Long Friday and in Germany it is known as Charfreitag or Sorrowful Friday. Some think that the English “Good Friday” is a corruption of the German Gottes Freitag, or God’s Friday – just as good-bye is a corruption of “God be with ye.” Whatever its etymology, we call the day Good, and that has forced us to consider the good that came from this darkest of all days. What Thou, my Lord hast suffered was all for sinner’s gain. “Death has been swallowed up in victory,” Paul writes. (1 Corinthians 15:54)

But this day is also a day when a young mother and wife from our community mourns the loss of her husband and two of her three children in a senseless car accident. Another woman just a stone’s throw from the church keeps a long vigil as life slowly leaves her beloved husband of 50 years. How can we call a day like this good?

It is good because on this day, especially, we remember that God became one of us and took on all the pain and sorrow of living in a world like ours. He took on the death that comes to all who live in world like ours. Yet unlike all who live in a world like ours, he did not merit death for he, unlike all who live in a world like ours, did not wander from God’s good ways. “He was tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin,” the writer of Hebrews says.

This is a sad and tragic day for many, and especially in our minds, for that young widow and that good and faithful wife. But with David we can say, “I am confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” (Psalm 27:13-14)

(As I write these words, I am challenged to check myself. Am I offering more than platitudes, more than spiritual sugar water? Yes. I have known many who have walked through the valley of shadow of death and have seen the promises of God fulfilled. On Good Friday three years ago, I was in the operating room undergoing cancer surgery. The promises are true.)

Indeed, God’s promises are true and no more gloriously true than on that “first day of the week, while it was still dark” and Mary and the others found an empty tomb. Indeed, our triumphant joyful day! Easter can only come after Holy Friday, Long Friday, Sorrowful Friday – in fact, Good Friday. Easter only makes sense in a world of sin and pain. The bunnies and eggs are fine, but please be sure you’re the first thing you do is join us in worship. Easter worship with brass and hallelujahs begins at 10:55.

See you – I ‘m looking forward to seeing you – Sunday!

(Note: those who have ordered copies of Joe Hill’s book, Calvin on Suffering: Understanding the Love of God, will be able to pick them up at the church office beginning Tuesday.)