Friday, April 14, 2006

Good Friday

And they compelled a passer-by, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull). And they offered him wine mingled with myrrh; but he did not take it. And they crucified him, and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. And it was the third hour, when they crucified him. And the inscription of the charge against him read, "The King of the Jews." And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled which says, "He was reckoned with the transgressors." And those who passed by derided him, saying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!" So also the chief priests mocked him to one another with the scribes, saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.

And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" And some of the by-standers hearing it said, "Behold, he is calling Elijah." And one ran and, filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down." And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that he thus breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!"

  —Mark 15:21-39

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Anonymous Anonymous said...

I've always liked the story from the book of Mark best. When I was little I was completely fascinated by "rent in twain". It seemed so dramatic! It seemed like such an "in your face" kind of statement. Not such a very passive God and Savior, after all.

Even as a child, I wondered about that part where God turns away. Eventually I decided to think that perhaps He turned away because He knew that if He watched then He would stop it. But at the same time, He made sure that Jesus wasn't alone. I've often speculated if that was part of how He chose Mary. Knowing she wouldn't turn away, although it would have been easier and safer.

I've always found it interesting that some of Jesus' last words were directed at her well-being, and that he appeared first to the woman who didn't abandon him.

And I've always found it disturbing the way some people have decided that its fashionable to use "Mary" as a curse-word. Thinking about what she must mean to both Jesus and God, does that REALLY seem like anything even approximating a good idea? I don't think so.

But, on a merrier note, Happy Easter!

Friday, April 14, 2006 9:59:00 PM  

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