Good Friday/Black Friday

It seems that I have taken up being a Bishop of controversial topics and this one will be no different. But at the same time, it should be enlightening for most.

I referred to Good Friday as also Black Friday. Black Friday is one of the other names for that day. I find myself often saying Black Friday instead of Good Friday. There is a reason. Not all good came from Jesus's crucifixion. According to most Christian traditions, Jesus died for the sins of humanity, but let's say for a moment he didn't.

What if he was actually showing us through his Crucifixion our sins. After all, his first of seven sayings on the cross was "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34. Is that not saying to God that we have sinned by crucifying an innocent man? Some would come back with the fact that Jesus prophesied that his death was essential for the salvation of humanity. Did we possible misinterpret that though? We assumed that it was because he took our sins. This will help support my cause even more. Luke 23:28 "At one point Jesus turned to the women and said, 'Daughters of Jerusalem, don't cry for me. Cry for yourselves and for your children.'"

"Cry for yourselves", interesting statement for someone who died for our sins. The passage goes on to state that they who do not have children should be lucky. Why would they be lucky to not have children if we were coming into a day of "salvation" of our sins?

Let's backtrack a little here for a quick moment. Jesus was preaching God's love for everyone. What made him deserve any less? Now some people will be quick to point fingers and blame the Jewish community. "Oh, they are the one's who crucified him", and so forth. However, others had a say and chose to let a murderer go free instead. Not all of them were Jewish who "voted" by cheering for his Jesus's crucifixion.

So now we get to "place blame" onto those outside the Jewish community, but we still aren't done yet. If those who lined the streets weren't all Jewish why didn't they rally to support Jesus? Instead they spat on him, cursed him, laughed at him, and wouldn't help him. Wait, there is one person who did help, Simon from Cyrene. He was ordered to carry the cross, but he didn't refuse or fuss. For a moment, Simon bore the weight of the fate of humanity. He carried the cross out of love and compassion for Jesus all the way to Skull Hill. This is loving your neighbor. The cross was too heavy for Jesus to carry and Simon "loved his neighbor" and carried it all the way.

Now they reached Skull Hill and the Romans began the actual art of crucifying. With each nail driven into the body was the fate of human sins. They no longer loved, they longed for a show. They stood around the cross taunting Jesus, "Then let him get down from that cross. We'll all become believers then!" Matthew 27:42. Even the "criminals" who were crucified beside him mocked him. Wow. At this point why save anyone from their sins?

What we seem to forget is what happens next. Jesus "died" on the cross and the sun went black in the sky, the earth quaked, the Temple curtain ripped top to bottom, and tombs opened. Does this sound like our sins were redeemed? It sounds like justice to me. God was getting vengeance for crucifying a messenger. Everyone was scared to death. I always pictured "salvation" to be a little more peaceful and calm, didn't you?

Perhaps it is because Jesus didn't actually die for our sins. He died because of our sins to show us how we are wrong in our actions. It is not okay to take pleasure in others sorrow. It is not okay to accuse the innocent. It is not okay to bare false witness against your neighbor. Mostly it is not okay to hate/dislike/mistreat others, including your God.

These are the sins that are brought to light when you really look at Black Friday. We should be remembering his crucifixion as our own towards one another and ourselves. It should be a day of love, respect, and compassion. Once we start following and believing that, Black Friday will once again be Good Friday.

In Faith,
+Isaac