Solemnity and celebration – each year, Holy Week embraces them both.
And today, Good Friday, perfectly captures a great paradox Christians confront during this most sacred time.
Easter Sunday is a bright moment ahead – redemption is near and the hope surrounding the ensuing season is palpable.
But during this week, specifically on this day, we also remember that there were great trials and tragedy to the life of Jesus Christ.
As He marched closer to the cross, Jesus not only faced great physical pain and suffering, but also felt the sting of the betrayal of His friends and followers.
This moment serves as a reminder of the imperfectness of this life, and the ways in which we, even as faithful disciples, can fall short of how we are called to operate within it.
Yet, even today, there remains great cause for joy.
As C.S. Lewis notes in his work Mere Christianity, with Jesus’s birth “The Son of God became man to enable men to become sons of God.”
Not only does today mark the sacrifice Jesus made for our salvation, but it also signifies a grave example of His firsthand understanding of the physical and emotional pain we can feel in this life.
We should all use this day to reflect on His sacrifice, while also considering how we might live in a way that is deserving of it. And, of course, we should look forward with great joy to celebrating the triumph of Easter Sunday in just a few short days.
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