As today is Good Friday, let us meditate on the suffering that Jesus went through on the Cross. If we are able, spend time in fasting and prayer. May this be an opportunity for us to re-evaluate our faith. As we know, there is no other religion...No other faith, where one gives such a sacrifice...to the point of death. And as we know, this is the cornerstone of our faith. Jesus paid the ultimate price, to defeat the deadly consequences of sin...for you and for me. It is not a mere historical event. It is a PERSONAL event. A personal sacrifice. This is where our faith comes alive. Ad Scripture says, " have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." (Galatians 2:20). These words of Paul should hold true for us today.
And let us keep in mind that as we may take a part of this day to fast (could be from food or any other activity in our daily routine that we could give up for a few hours...a day), Jesus questioned God...by crying out, as we see in Mark 15:34. In Matthew 15:23, we see that Jesus refused a drink, before being nailed to the Cross. A drink that was intended to dull the physical pain. And now in John 19:28-30, Jesus mentions the words we know well..."It is finished." In His final moments, he took a drink...which was sour, to help Him stay conscious for as long as possible...and prolong the pain. This is the wine that Jesus drank. For you and for me. For us. I do not share this to make it gory. But I mention it to put the live and sacrifice of Jesus for us into perspective. Sources say that Jesus endured as many as 39 lashes, if not more. While on the Cross, inhaling was challenging, and exhaling was excruciating. Adequate exhalation required the lifting of the body by pushing on the feet, flexing the elbows and lifting the shoulders. This placed the entire weight of the body on the area where the pain was excruciating. What Jesus physically experienced was dehydration, arrhythmia and heart failure.
In all of this, we know the end result. If you have held onto your faith, may this help confirm it. If you have been wrestling with your faith, may this confirm it. That even though there was that dark day, we have the Good News to look forward to. The RESURRECTION of Jesus. |
