Days that change our lives forever

For the majority of us most days are relatively "normal," and by that I mean without great drama or trial.  We go about our daily lives working, meeting a friend for a cup of coffee, a little exercise, read a good book - not too bad.  There are times of laughter and of course tears, as well.  But, thank goodness, there are seldom days that change our lives forever, days when the earth trembles and darkness covers the sky.   Days which begin innocently enough, but when evening comes we find ourselves curled up on the floor in the fetal position gasping breath and our eyes burning with tears.  From that day forward our lives are changed forever.

We live today, Good Friday, with two thousand years of history and with the inside knowledge on how the story ends.  (By the way, just in case you don't know...it's a GREAT ending! Go to church on Sunday!)  But, on that first Good Friday no one knew what to expect.  No one knew how the story was going to end.  No one knew the true meaning or salvific significance of the events that were painfully and brutally unfolding before them. 

Today, things are going to take a tragic turn for the worse.  It's going to be filled with lies and accusations, filled with spit and venom, filled with hatred and revenge, filled with bloodshed and death.  By the time the sun sets, people will be at the foot of the cross staring in disbelief at the lifeless body of Christ.  They'll return to their homes and fall asleep on the floor curled up in the fetal position in a pool of tears. 

I pray that today, we will live Good Friday only through the liturgy.  I pray that we will hear the story, but not have to live it.  The truth is, however, for some this day will truly be Good Friday.  For some this day will take a tragic turn.  For some this day the earth will tremble and darkness will cover the sky.  For some when the sun sets on this day, they will find themselves on the floor curled up in the fetal position in a pool of tears gasping for breath.   

For this day is 9/11, Hiroshima, the earthquake in Haiti, the tsunami in Japan, the day Kennedy was shot, the day King was assassinated, the day your spouse tells you they're leaving, the day the test results show that death is inevitable, the day a confused and distraught teenager goes into their high school and opens fire, the day they chain a young gay man to the back of a truck and drag him until he dies, the day the police knock on the door and say, "There's been an accident," the day a suicide bomber walks into a crowded market, the day the Klan put a noose around the neck of yet another black man and let him swing from a tree, the day the Nazi's made the Jews pile into cattle cars for Auschwitz.  For some, this day their cry will echo throughout all of heaven, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!!!"  And God's tears will drench the earth. 

Lord, have mercy upon us.

Christ, have mercy upon us.

Lord, have mercy upon us.

Protect us from this day.

May Sunday come!

Dear God, may Sunday come!

Save us!

Paul+