How can any good come from this? Certainly a question (more an exclamation!) from the disciples on the day of Jesus crucifixion. Little matter that in Mark's Gospel Jesus told them (at least 3 times) what was coming and what to expect. Little matter that John's Gospel relates the pains that Jesus took to assure them that all would be well.
The empire, the system, the boss, the bishop (whomever) seems to crush us and we forget the heart of the Gospel. Something happens that hurts us; disappoints us; challenges us ... and we cry out: How can any good come from this?
Walter Brueggemann reminds us: Friday, in Christian reckoning, is a null-point wherein the power of God is defeated by the empire of force. But the church has found in that Friday shut-down the transformative work of God, because this God works in and through weakness and vulnerability as the door to new life. It is a Friday truth that suffering love has transformative power that the "executioners" never suspect. (Soujourners, April, 2010)
The old, old story is true. The Lord takes our hurt, our disappointment and even death (in all its manifestations) and transforms them into the new life.
Lord, open doors to new life and refresh our faith on this Good Friday. Amen.
About Me
- Jim Simpson
- I am a pastor with a passion for Christian formation and spiritual direction. I love my wife, Peggy, and we are parents together of 7 fine grown children along with a chocolate Lab, Mocha, and a Jack Russell named Sugar. I have gathered a collection of kaleidoscopes ... whose images provide a metaphor for my approach to discernment in spiritual direction.
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