"Good Friday" I don't recall hearing about Good Friday as I was growing up in South Salt Lake. It was probably, maybe, mentioned in a primary or Sunday school class, but that was so long ago that it would be deeply buried in my gray matter. I remember some things about my church meetings from my teenage years at the Butler 12th Ward, but nothing is coming to mind about this holy day. I don't think it was a thing from my mission days in the Lutheran-dominated world of Sweden. People there went to church on Christmas and Easter, but, again I don't recall anything about Good Friday, even though Wikipedia tells me that it is an observed holiday by Lutherans. Actually, I think it has just been in recent years that I have become more aware of the significance of this Holy Day.
We all know of the events of Good Friday and the day/night before. They began with the Last Supper with all of His wonderful teachings and love demonstrated to his disciples, continued through Gethsemane, the betrayal, arrest, conviction, flogging, thorn-crowning, cross bearing, and ridicule. They continued on this day-Good Friday-with His crucifixion. Which ended with Jesus willingly fulfilling his Father's will and willingly giving up his mortal life-"no man taketh if from me". This "good" day ended with our Savior lying in a borrowed tomb, his body not yet properly prepared and anointed for burial, as the Sabbath began before all could be completed.
Since I became more aware of Good Friday, I have often asked myself what those around the Savior found to be "good" on this day. Now we, knowing how the story ends, can see the significance of the events and know of the need for Jesus to be "bruised, broken and torn for us" on that hill, even if we don't understand it, can see how these events were "good". But what about His disciples who had been waiting oh, so long for the Messiahs to deliver them? His family and friends who were so close to him and loved him? And the twelve, now eleven, who had been through so much, had seen and done miracles in His name, had looked to Him to usher His kingdom into the world? And now He was gone, his body in a tomb.
I think there were other things broken on that Good Friday, in addition to the Savior's mortal body. Some must have had their hopes for a Messiahs-a deliverer-dashed and broken on that stony hill. We know there were rules, laws, traditions broken in order to arrest, convict, and crucify Him. I believe that those dearest to Him-Mary his mother and Mary and the other women, his apostles, his friends like Mary and Martha and Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead, must have had broken souls and broken hearts and wept bitter tears. I am sure there were others who had not been "official" disciples, like the Roman soldier, whose hearts also ached as they watched the events of that "good" day.
But what else was broken? We will talk of other marvelous truths tomorrow about broken things that He caused and which make it possible for us to return to Him.
In the meantime, let us remember what He suffered on this day and the night before. For me. For you. And, yes, even you! And if, as we consider the Garden and the Cross, our hearts become broken, even a little bit cracked, because of his love for you, and me, and all of us, let us remember that He has asked us to bring these broken hearts to Him and put them on His alter so He can heal and sanctify them. Broken things can be remade perfectly if we give them to Him. Hearts and hopes and even our lives. He is might to heal and mighty to save. Even me. And you. And even you!
Good Friday to you all!
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