Today is Good Friday. It is the most intense, painful, and sad day of the year in the Christian tradition. Many of us can feel this palpable heaviness each year on this day, and even as this day approaches, through to Easter Sunday. I’ve been thinking about the “good” in Good Friday.
Some believe in the literal version of the life of Christ, his crucifixation and resurrection. Some believe the story as metaphor. For some, Jesus held no special Divine role, and was simply a Jewish man, the son of a carpenter.
For those of us who have some special interest in the story of the crucifixition, I offer some thoughts. What if Jesus was showing us who we really are (in the style of that particular era)? Is the story really about the crucifixtion, or is the point of truth really the resurrection and ascension? (Should churches have a man dying on a cross as the visual center point, or rather a glowing image of a radiant, healthy Christ?) Is the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection our clarion call to self-realization? Is it our invitation to know that we are truly Divine as was Jesus, that we too “will do these and greater things?”
Did Jesus suffer and die for our sins (as the Church teaches,) or was he showing us in no uncertain terms that sin (i.e. failure, error, mistake, etc.) is an illusion, a delusion, a nightmare of human misunderstanding born of fear? Is the crucifixtion the dream (nightmare) and the resurrection + ascension the reality? Do we wake up from the dream or into it? What is “real” and what does “real” even mean? (As we now know from quantum science, that which we can perceive with our five senses does not define what is “real.” In fact, it is only about 4% of what truly exists. We simply cannot perceive the other 96% with our five senses.)
So what is “good” about Good Friday? It is good to recognize who our teachers are, where the wisdom presents itself, and how we are invited into Enlightenment. Jesus clearly knew who he was. Do we know who we are? He could perform “miracles” precisely because he knew who he was (Divine and whole) and he knew who we are (Divine and whole). He clearly told us, “You too will do these and greater things” (miracles, that is). So why don’t we? And when we do, why don’t we notice? Why don’t we consciously claim ownership of our ability to perform miracles? Do we have “the eyes to see and the ears to hear” beyond the limited scope of our five senses? Herein lies the “good” in Good Friday. It is the portal to the greatest lesson ever taught in the current World Age of human history. Consider this, and learn your lessons well.


