Looking Ahead to April 15, 2022 -- Good Friday

Our Good Friday service this year will be an evening service at 7:00. Folk can attend in person or via YouTube

This Year we will hear the story of Christ's Passion as told in the Gospel of Mark. The Scripture Readings are:

•  Psalm 22
• Mark 14:32-15:47

The Meditation is titled Empire Strikes Back

Early Thoughts: Just a few days earlier Jesus had entered the city to great excitement and cheering. In the days afterward Jesus has been spending much time in the Temple precincts, teaching and engaging with those who were around.  But then things took a turn.

By the nature of his teaching and preaching Jesus was sure to cause controversy. Jesus encouraged folk to pledge allegiance in word and action to the Reign of God. Jesus challenged the authorities (Jewish and Roman) because they were not properly supporting the weakest and marginalized in society. Jesus told people that priorities needed to change.

These are not things to teach if you want to make nice with Imperial Rome or their local governors.

Eventually it was bound to happen. Jesus has in fact warned his friend on multiple occasions that it was going to happen. The authorities were going to react, and react with violence. After a week of teaching and preaching and challenging (which included not only the street theater of Palm Sunday but also the causing of a minor riot in the temple precinct as he tossed the tables) the time had come.

The Empire, backed by some Jewish leaders who felt it was best to make nice with Empire, was going to strike back. As Andrew Lloyd Webber put it in his musical Jesus Christ Superstar "This Jesus must die".

Afterward people would try to find meaning and theology behind the death of Jesus. Theological arguments would arise that Jesus was a sacrificial lamb of some sort. The death would be seen to have some role in the restoring of right-relationship between God and humanity. And that has great meaning to many of us. But it does not change the fact that on the ground, in the midst of it all, Jesus' death has a lot to do with politics as well as theology.

As we strive to follow The Way of Jesus are we willing to challenge the imperial mindsets and powers of our day? Are we willing to admit the times we have been complicit with imperial power? Are we willing to risk a cross on a hill in case the empire strikes back at those who challenge it? After all that is what empires do, power tends to fight back when it is threatened.

Jesus challenged his friends, and challenges us, to take up a cross and join in his passion for God's Kingdom. Such a choice comes at a risk. Are we ready and willing?
--Gord