I'm not sure which title I like better. So I used them both. Today is Friday. More than that - today is Good Friday.A couple days ago, I saw a talking head on TV miss the point. (That's not too uncommon. I guess I miss the point a lot too.) What snapped my face toward the flat screen though was how close and yet far off the man was in his eloquence. I really don't remember if the news story was about the tragic fire at Notre Dame or if it was about political unrest in the U.S. I believe it was the former, which actually makes his near-miss more palatable at face-value, and more tragic at its core.
The newsman-come-theologian made a statement akin to: "...and after all, this Easter season is all about rebuilding and renewal. Let us remember and take comfort in that."
Sounds good. But nope.
REbuilding and REnewal are good things. They are wonderful in fact. And necessary. But they are not the focus of the Easter season. One might make the case they are aspects of it's REsult. They are products of the main RE. But neither is the main RE. The RE that is Easter's heart. (I know you're way ahead of me.)
What is dead cannot be REbuilt. What is dead cannot be REnewed. What is dead cannot be REenergized, REvitalized, REstored, REanythingized. What is dead must be made alive. What is dead must be...
REsurrected!
What is good about Good Friday actually lies in it's terribleness. Good Friday is about death. Good Friday is sacrifice. Good Friday is Perfection ripped to shreds, bleeding, gasping, (forgiving), and dying. Good Friday is dark and hopeless. Good Friday finds its end in a velvet-black tomb. Good Friday is only good because Sunday comes.
What is dead is buried. What was buried is no longer in the tomb. What was murdered is alive. REsurrection!
Before there can be REbuilding and REnewal - or any other RE - there must be REsurrection.
So today is Good Friday. The sun is shining outside, and a light shines within. Because Good Friday, with all it's horror and agony, is not the end of the story. If it were, we would not call it Good Friday. We'd just call it Friday.
Today is Good Friday. And Sunday is coming.
God, Thank you for your resurrection power. There are so many things that need to be resurrected in me by that same power and love.
For now...
D
