A fellow pastor shared with me that in his parish in New York he had 40 parishioners in the hospital and that 16 of his flock have already succumbed to the Covid-19 virus. For almost everyone this crisis has transformed our daily lives on a scale we could not have imagined. We often hear of a friend or neighbor or even relative who develops and illness or has a serious accident and we grieve for them and pray for them but we may think to ourselves that it probably won't happen to us, at least not now, and go on about our daily lives. But now, the shadow looms over all of us and going about our daily lives looks very different from a month ago.
It is Good Friday, the day the church remembers the crucifixion of the Savior of the World. I am writing this in the afternoon. The disciples are scattered. Jesus is undergoing His passion leading to His death later today. His mother and many of his female disciples are watching unable to do anything to help with His suffering, other than be with Him. Only John is there from the twelve. Jesus alone carries the weight of the sin of the world.
It was a dark day for them. It was hard to see victory or life in the midst of these events. In fact we call the evening service of remembrance "The Service of Darkness". Humanity has known many periods when life seemed very dark. History records how wars devastated people, plagues wiped out entire town, economies have collapsed, crops have failed; this is not the first time that humanity has been reminded of its fragility. This is not the first time that a world fallen into sin has made the depth of corruption known.
So how are you feeling? Are you sad? Are you mad? Are you scared? Are you even glad? Everyone experiences these things uniquely to themselves. We may even find ourselves feeling a host of feelings. We may be grieving Easter gatherings with family and friends in homes and churches. Part of us may be looking for someone to blame for all the things that have been taken from us. And it would be fully understandable if you feel scared. We hear that most people will have a light case if they catch it but then we hear about the suffering of those who grow sicker. We might be tempted to focus on those part of our health that might make us more susceptible to to the illness. How do we protect ourselves? How do we protect our loved ones?
How do we pay the bills? Some folks are fully able to stay home sheltered in place while others are still working as essential employees. Many are worrying about paying rent and mortgages and for food with limited or no income coming in and no end in sight.
This world is now as it was created to be because sin exists in the world and we are being reminded in these days just has tangible and fragile everything is. And it can make us afraid. It can make us sad. It can even make us mad.
But God is on His throne. In the shadow of the cross it was hard to understand. Why did Jesus have to die? Why did His Father allow it? Was He not our Messiah? Why is it ending this way. ONly it wasn't. Much of what God does is hidden under an opposite appearance. It looked like defeat only the ultimate victory was being achieved. It looked like injustice, and evil, and sin and death had won. But in those hours the power of sin and death was broken. Soon comes Easter.
Easter morning life did not get back to normal. The disciples and those who believed never went back to life the way it was before. Jesus death and resurrection changed everything. Our lives will likely not go back to normal, not the way it was before. Our innocence and trust is now "informed". How much we need informed by the Gospel in these days. For the truth is the Gospel and Jesus have always been the only unshakable ground. All else has always been shifting sand. But Jesus is risen even on this day of shadows, even on this day of remembering death, we cannot remember without also remembering He is Risen! Salvation is just as certain today as it was before. Indeed each day that passes is one day closer we are to receiving all that God has promised us in Christ.
So on this Good Friday I encourage you to remember: You are Christ's! Christ is yours!
Pastor Reedy
