Welcome to Good Friday
Good Friday is a day of reflecting upon the death
of Jesus. “Good” comes from the now obsolete
sense “pious, holy” of the word good . This is a
holy day of our Lord.
As you watch this 16-minute meditation , allow
yourself to be quiet. Hear your breath. Listen to
the music and reflect on what Jesus’ crucifixion
means to you, and the world around you. What do
the images evoke for you? What do they mean for
your relationship with Jesus?
Below are some questions* that correspond to
“Stations in Nature” by Rev. Todd Farnsworth.
I) Jesus is condemned to death – Often we are judged for our faith, for our spiritual
questing. How might it feel to be convicted for your faith? Where is God when you are
judged by others?
II) Jesus is given His cross – What is your cross? Have you embraced it – or are you
fighting it along the way? What is the weight of your cross? How have you been bound to a
cross that leads to death?
III) Jesus falls the first time – We have a resilience the first time we fall…the next time, not
so much. What do you think helped Jesus to his feet? What got you going again?
IV) Jesus meets His Mother – There is a lifeline that stretches between a child and their
mother. Mary and Jesus had that bond. It gave them strength even in times of pain. Have
you reached out to a Mary in your life? What has prevented you from doing so?
V) Simon of Cyrene carries the cross – Carrying another person’s cross can be a burden.
Allowing them to carry it requires vulnerability. Think about a time when you were strong or
vulnerable. Where was God?
VI) Veronica wipes the face of Jesus – “Veronica” is a part of the Roman Catholic
tradition who represents tenderness, courage, and applying those gifts to Jesus as he made
his way toward death. What does tenderness look like to you? Where have you found the
courage to reach into someone else’s pain and offer grace? When has someone offered
you that sacred gift?
VII) Jesus falls the second time –One minute we are on our feet and then as if in slow
motion, we can see ourselves falling. Out of control. Destined for pain when we hit the
ground. We may reach out to catch our balance. When have you reached out to God? How
did you feel if you “hit the ground” anyway? Who picked you up?
VIII) Jesus meets the daughters of Jerusalem – Grief (even pre grief) can be
overwhelming. It can stop us in our tracks. Jesus offers the daughters of Jerusalem a path
for their sorrow. He gives them a direction for healing. Who or what do you grieve? How has
Jesus led you to move beyond grief? Have you followed? Why or why not?
IX) Jesus falls the third time – Despair and brokenness can accompany repeated falling.
We may wonder, “what’s the point?” How do you think God will answer that question? Is the
response enough or does fear of failure and bitterness keep you on the ground? Or maybe
it’s exhaustion? Take a moment to pray for strength to continue the journey. Know that
Jesus is rising with you and that you are deeply loved and completely accepted by God.
X) Jesus is stripped of His garments – Jesus had shared a lot of himself with the people.
Being stripped of his clothes left him completely exposed to their judgment. When we stand
before God we are naked like Jesus. What will be revealed in that showing? How will you
stand before family and friends with your true self exposed?
XI) Crucifixion , Jesus is nailed to the cross – People sometimes worry that in their act of
dying, they will mess something up, let someone down, finish with unfinished business.
Despite the nails that appear to hold us to this task, despite the drama that sometimes
taunts us, Jesus offers another thought: What if this isn’t the end?
XII) Jesus dies on the cross – There is peace and there is release for Jesus. For his
family and friends, there is mourning and morning. In the quiet wonder of death, dream
about resurrection.
XIII) Jesus’ body is removed from the cross – When you read about or witness a brutal
death remember that Jesus died a violent death. Try not to look away or forget. God was
there, too.
XIV) Jesus is laid in the tomb and covered in incense – Was it quiet in the tomb while
God’s mysterious work was at play? Was Jesus body reborn? Re-baptized? Released?
New life takes time. How do you wait?
XV) The resurrection of Jesus – Jesus’ friends didn’t recognize him after his resurrection.
Not at first. His spirit of love tipped them off. Where have you seen that spirit alive?
(These questions were created by Rev. Todd Farnsworth, 2019)
