Good (or “Holy” in Old English) Friday
Was it not necessary for Christ to suffer these things and to enter his glory?
—Luke 24:26
One of the most meaningful services for me is a Good Friday service that recounts the stages of the cross. In the church I attend for this service, for each stage bringing Jesus closer to the cross, one candle is extinguished, effectively cultivating a sense of dreaded inevitability. As the house lights are dimmed in coordination with the candles, the atmosphere becomes solemn. The service ends in total darkness as we hear Jesus’ words: “It is finished.” The congregation leaves in silence while the church bell mournfully rings as it would for a funeral.
This service reminds me that when Jesus was crucified, the disciples must have felt as if the world had ended. They wept bitterly, scattered for safety, then later regrouped and huddled in a locked room. They were filled with hopelessness and feared they would share the same fate as Jesus.
Was it not necessary for Christ to suffer these things and to enter his glory?
These words, spoken by Jesus to His disciples after His resurrection, bring clarity to why the day He was crucified actually was good. Jesus says that He, the day, and the suffering He experienced were ordained by God for His purpose.
The significance of this day for the early church likely led to today’s church tradition, signaling its importance as a day of somber reflection on the price Jesus paid for our sins.
The Easter service after my first Good Friday service was particularly meaningful. It brought joy, relief, hope, and gratitude to Jesus for His willingness to suffer and die to save someone like me. I imagine the disciples felt the same way—probably even stronger—because in the future, when they did face the same fate of Jesus, they didn’t huddle in a room. Instead, they boldly proclaimed their faith. Perhaps their boldness came in part from recalling the holiness and goodness of that Friday when Jesus faced death for them, and overcame it three days later.
Good, Holy Friday indeed