Can We Skip Good Friday?

Good Friday
Good Friday

“The reality cuts across our minds like a wound whose edges crave to heal, but cannot. Thus, one of the great sins, perhaps the great sin, is to say: ‘It will heal; it has healed; there is no wound.’ There is nothing more important than this wound.”Whittaker Chambers

To be candid, most of the time, I want to rush past Good Friday.

Sure, I understand there can be no resurrection Sunday if there’s no death on Friday, but the whole cross thing makes me uncomfortable. I don’t like the idea of Jesus being nailed to the cross.

Who does?

Even if you don’t think Jesus was God’s son, you probably aren’t into thinking about someone being tortured with a flesh-stripping beating followed by a slow suffocation on a Roman cross. The image is brutal and vaguely accusatory.

I think of it like this: if there’s merit to the idea that Jesus died to give people life, doesn’t it follow that I’m somehow dead?  "Sure," I tell myself, "I’ve inflicted wounds on others, as they have on me, but the wounds will heal."

If I work hard, if I’m “good” enough (is there a bell curve?), if my imperfection is somehow not as harmful as other people’s imperfections, all is well, right? My wounds aren't that bad.

Unfortunately, no.

The problem with Good Friday is Jesus’ willingness to endure a brutal death suggests my wounds are more serious than I had imagined. His death communicates a graver truth and addresses my biggest fear; I have a mortal wound and I’m going to die.

My death isn’t avoidable because I live a “better” life (whatever that means!) than anyone else. I don’t need to try harder to be good; I need someone to rescue me from death.

Who can do that?

If the story stopped on Good Friday, the answer would be “no one.” Fortunately, Sunday’s coming.