“ It is finished. ” from John 18:1–19:37

Today is Good Friday, the most solemn day of the Christian year. And solemn certainly describes the way I feel. Usually this is a day spent in church remembering Jesus as he was scourged and crucified, offering himself as a sacrifice on our behalf, a sacrifice made in blood that washed us clean and made us worthy to be in a right relationship with our God. Instead I sit at home thinking of the sacrifices being made by healthcare workers and first responders who risk their lives so that those sick with Covid-19 might be restored to health and we might all be restored to our community relationships.

As we ponder these sacrifices, past and present, let us remember the love and devotion that undergirds all sacrifice–and be thankful. Jesus’ work to secure our ultimate redemption and salvation is finished. The Cross is empty. So then we can offer up our pain, our fear and our isolation in prayer, and we can use our fear as a reminder that in Jesus, we both have a place for our fears as well as having nothing to fear.

A prayer for today:

Please, Lord Jesus, during these uncertain and confusing times, shine the light of your healing power on all healthcare workers, on us and through us. We know that you are at our side and on our side – and that literally nothing – however bad it may seem at the moment—can ever separate us from you or from those we love! Amen. (adapted from Uncommon Prayer for the Third Millennium by Alan Houghton)

The Rev. John R. Bentley, Jr.

Pastoral Associate