Good Friday

Angel of the Lord

Lilli Turner, age 5

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;

And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;

And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
William Cowper, 1772

It is raining. If there is one day in the entire year that rain is appropriate it is the Friday before Easter, the only day humans have named 'good'. I am sitting outside. The sky is Payne's grey. Old-timers would say, "The sky's gone smooth cloudy." I have been reflecting on all I have to be grateful for, a long list. Today, I am especially grateful for the Cross. Today I meditate on friendship and loyalty. John was the only disciple of Jesus at the Cross that day. My perspective of the Cross is post-resurrection. What must have been going through John's mind? Forced to watch his closest friend die, abandoned, alone. I am overwhelmed with knowing I take the Cross for granted, I take the goodness of the Cross for granted. 'His kindness leads to repentance.' His kindness puts me on my face, and, like Peter, cry 'Depart from me, for I am a sinful man!' And so, He left us. But on the third day He came back!