Good Friday

Here we are finally at Good Friday - a somber day with no Mass and a liturgy which reminds us of the Passion of Jesus. If ever there is a day for serious reflection on God, life and death, then this is the day.

Many years ago I met a very adventurous man who was preparing to be a bush pilot in Angola, shuttling UN peacekeepers around that large country. One day we had a discussion about religion and he offered his view that Christianity is a ‘religion on death’ rather than life. He pointed to the crucifix and the elaborate Good Friday liturgies as proof for his claim. Interesting and perhaps some of us would agree with him?

Life is a mystery- we are born, grow, live and eventually will die at a time, location and hour not under our control. We live with an awareness that someday the world will go on without me. Life is a mystery, which we can either choose to embrace with trust and love while accepting our limited time, or pull back and live in fear. For Christians, life is be lived-  in fact, Irenaeus, a famous second century theologian, wrote ‘the glory of God is in a person fully alive’. Life is for living not in the sense of ‘doing my own thing’ but as an opportunity to grow, learn, love and spend ourselves in service to others.

So, why the Cross and Good Friday? While death should not be the focus of our lives neither should it be ignored. It is a reality and one which we naturally fear and question, especially when we see the young or innocent die (How can God allow this person to die?). All the theological rationales (e.g. death as a rupture caused by the first sin) seem pale when confronted with the ugly void left by the death of a loved one. What is the Christian’s answer? The answer is the Cross- not a rational explanation of this evil but a radically holistic one (but who needs reason when grieving!). God chose to answer death and the unjust killing of innocents not through a violent revolt but through acceptance in order to prove to us God’s power. A God who underwent voluntarily the horror of death to show His love and closeness to us!

Death will yield to the power of God, but not today (but on Easter :)). On Good Friday we take time to ponder our mortality, the tragedy of death, the suffering of so many in the world slaughtered by modern governments, and the pleas of the poor for mercy.

Death is a part of life but many die prematurely due to a lack of medical care. Let us today pray for doctors who bring healing to the poor, allowing them to live a ‘life fully alive’.

Today's guest blog post is contributed by Brother John Kiesler, OFM is a member of the facility of the Franciscan School of Theology in California. Brother John is a member of the Formation Facility for long-term missionaries through Mission Doctors and presents at the Annual Retreat Seminar on the theology of mission. Additionally he serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Mission Doctors Association.