Friday, April 2

Good Friday

James Lloyd Breck, Priest (1876)

Lamentations 3:1-9, 19-33

Psalms 22, 40:1-14, 54, 95

1 Pet. 1:10-20

John 13:36-38 or John 19:38-42

John 19:38-42

Jesus body was laid in the tomb by two men – men who during Jesus life, feared that people would find out that they were following the Rabbi Jesus. Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Jesus in secret, because he was intimidated by the Jews. The other, Nicodemus, the scriptures tell us first came to Jesus at night, in fear.

In life, neither man would be caught dead with Jesus. But in death, both men boldly stuck out their necks, reputations and lives. In taking care of their rabbi’s body the world would call them unclean. The Sabbath was approaching and according to Jewish law, anyone who came in contact with a dead body would be considered ceremonially unclean. Yet, because both men had experienced God’s grace, manifest in His son Jesus, they came. They prepared the body, wrapping it in spices and linen and laid Him in a new tomb.

There was a blessing among ancient Jews, “May you walk in the dust of your rabbi.” The meaning behind this blessing is beautiful – “May you walk so closely to the one who is teaching you, that you are covered in the truth He shares!”

Joseph and Nicodemus were so covered by the Truth of Christ, the one that they had followed secretly, that rather than dust off and pretend they didn’t know Him, they took Jesus’ body, the very body broken to make them whole, and prepared it for burial. Making them “dirty” in the world’s eyes – yet beautiful in the eyes of their rabbi!

This Good Friday, rather than hear the words and dust them off as though they are meant for someone else; may we find ourselves so covered in the dust of our rabbi and the Truth that He offers – that we can do nothing less than share the Good News with others!

KariAnn Lessner