Good Friday Gathering - Apr 10

Good Friday, watercolour in sketchbook

Call to Worship

[you may want to actually light a candle]

Take a deep breath and pause.
Be present to each other.
Take a deep breath and pause.
Imagine God's love, a warm light filling you and your prayer partner.
Take a deep breath and pause.
Send love and affection to the person with whom you are worshiping.
Express your appreciation to one another for this time and this contact at a distance.  

Opening Prayer:

Draw close to us, God,
on this unusual day,
this day of confusion,
of shouts of joy and cries of shame. 
Remind us that you are with us always,
in all moods and seasons,
in darkness and light and in between. 
Lead us through this day and this week,
to the cross,
to the tomb,
and beyond.  Amen.    

Story: “Palm and Passion” based on the Gospel of Mark  

While Jesus was eating at a friend’s house a woman came bearing a very expensive jar of scented oil, the kind of oil used to anoint the body of someone who is sick and dying.  She broke the jar and poured the oil over Jesus head.  

Some who were with them got angry, “Why was the oil wasted,” they said, “It could have been sold for a lot of money and the money could have been given to the poor.”  They scolded the woman.  

But Jesus said, “Let her be; why do you trouble her?  She has shown great love for me.  You always have the poor with you and you can always show them kindness; but you will not always have me.  She has anointed my body before I am to be buried.  Listen to me… wherever the good news is told in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”  

Gentle Jesus, help us to follow you.  

It was two days before Passover, the people who didn’t like what Jesus was teaching were looking for a way to have Jesus quietly arrested and killed.  They didn’t want to upset the many people in the city and cause a riot.  

After the woman had poured oil over Jesus’ head, Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ 12 closest friends, went to the chief Priest in order to betray Jesus.  The people who wanted Jesus killed offered Judas money to betray Jesus, so Judas started looking for an opportunity.  

Gentle Jesus, help us to follow you.  

The next evening Jesus sat at table with his friends to celebrate the Passover.  They gathered in the guestroom in the city.  

While they were eating Jesus said, “One of you will betray me.”  

“Surely, not me,” they all said.  

“Yes,” Jesus insisted, “One of you who is sharing this meal with me.  Because I will die, and one of you will turn me in to be arrested, tried, and killed.  And you will all desert me and leave me to die.  It is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.”  

Peter said to him, “Even though everyone else deserts you, I will not, even if I must die with you, I will not deny you.”  The others said the same.  

“This day, this very night,” Jesus said, “before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.”  

Gentle Jesus, help us to follow you.  

While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, blessed, broke it, and gave it to his friends and said, “take, eat, this is my body, broken for you.”  Then he took a cup of wine and after giving thanks, shared it with them.  After they had all shared in the wine he said, “This is God’s promise poured out for you.  In the same way, my blood will be poured out for many.  I will not drink again, until I drink in the Kingdom of God.”  

Gentle Jesus, help us to follow you.  

They went to a garden called Gethsemane.  He took with him Peter, James, and John.  He said to his friends, “I am very sad, even to death; sit and pray; stay here and stay awake.”   

He went a little father and threw himself on the ground praying, “Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.”  

He came back and found his friends sleeping.  He awoke them and said, “Simon, are you asleep?  Can’t you stay awake just one hour?  Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”  

Again he went away and prayed the same words as before,  

And once more he came and found the other sleeping.  He woke them again, and they didn’t know what to say to him.  

A third time he prayed and a third time he returned to find them asleep.  “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?  Enough!  The hour has come;  I am betrayed into the hands of sinners.  Get up, See, my betrayer is at hand.”  

Gentle Jesus, help us to follow you.  

Even while Jesus was still speaking to Peter, James, and John, Judas Iscariot arrived with a crowd.  The crowd included the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders.  They were carrying swords and clubs.  

Judas had told them, “The one I will kiss is the one you want; arrest him and lead him away under guard.”  

So Judas went up to Jesus and greeted him, “Master!”  and kissed him on the cheek.  

Then the crowd laid hands on him and arrested him.  All of his friends ran off and deserted him.  

They took Jesus to the high priest.  All the leaders were assembled.  Peter followed them at a safe distance to see what was happening and warmed himself at a fire.  

The people who had arrested Jesus were looking for testimony to have him put to death, but they could find none.  Some stood and gave false testimony, but their testimonies did not agree.  

Finally the high priest stood and asked, “Have you no answer?  What is it that they testify against you?”  But Jesus would not answer.  Again the high priest spoke, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”  

And Jesus said, “I am; and you will see the son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”  

The high priest tore Jesus’ clothes and said, “Why do we still need witnesses?  You have heard his blasphemy!  What is your decision?”  All of them condemned Jesus as deserving death.  Some began to spit on him and to strike him.  The guards took him and beat him.  

Gentle Jesus, help us to follow you.  

While Peter was watching one of the servant girls noticed him, “I know you,” she said, “You are one of Jesus’ followers!”  And Peter protested, “No, no, I’m not!”  

Another person heard Peter and said, “You speak like a Galilean, you must be one of his friends.”  And Peter insisted, “No, no I’m not!”  

A third person saw him and said, “I saw you in his crowd of disciples.”  And Peter cried out, “No, no it wasn’t me.”  And then Peter heard the cock crow twice.  It was morning and he had denied Jesus three times, just like Jesus had said he would.   

Peter broke down and cried.  

Gentle Jesus, help us to follow you.  

The next morning, the religious leaders met and decided to send Jesus to the  Roman Governor, Pilate.  Pilate said to the crowd of people that had gathered that he would have Jesus whipped and set him free.  But the people, urged on by the religious leaders said, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”  

But Pilate said, “No, no, no.  I will have him whipped and set free.”  And the people cried, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”  

One more time, Pilate said, “No, no, no.  I will have him whipped and set free.”  And the people cried, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”  

So Pilate had Jesus whipped and handed him over to the soldiers to be crucified.  

Gentle Jesus, help us to follow you.  

The soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace.  

They clothed Jesus in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him and began saluting him.  ”Hail, King of the Jews!” they shouted.  They struck him with a reed, spat on him, and knelt down in mock homage to him.  

After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes back on him. Then led him out to be crucified.  

Gentle Jesus, help us to follow you.  

Simon of Cyrene was visiting Jerusalem for Passover.  He had two young sons, Alexander and Rufus.  When Jesus couldn’t carry the cross himself anymore, the soldiers made Simon carry it for him.  They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha, which means the place of the skull.  And they offered him wine, but he didn’t take it.   

They crucified him and divide his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take.  

Gentle Jesus, help us to follow you.  

They hung a sign over Jesus that read, “King of the Jews.”  

And with him, they crucified two criminals, one on his right and one on his left.  

Everyone who passed by made fun of Jesus saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself.  Let him come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe.”  The two criminals also mocked him.  

At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.  At three o’clock, Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  Then he gave a loud cry and died.  

The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.  And one of the soldiers standing near him said, “Truly, this was the Son of God.”  

Gentle Jesus, help us to follow you.  

Joseph of Aramathea, Mary, Jesus’ mother, Mary, the sister of Martha, and several other women had Jesus lifted down from the cross and they wept over his body.  They wrapped him in linen and placed him in a new tomb with a huge stone to close it in.   

Gentle Jesus, help us to follow you.  

 

Reflection

In the garden, we hear how Jesus is torn between doing what God wants of him and his own fear of what is to happen.  He is grieved almost to death.  And so he prays, “Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.”              

How often do we find ourselves in a similar situation: torn between what we want for ourselves and our community, and what God seems to have set out for us?              

In the end, even though all Jesus can see of his future is suffering, pain and death, Jesus trusts that God has more in store for him.  Death is not the end.              

It is interesting that the institution of the Lord’s supper falls between the prediction of Judas’s betrayal and the prediction of Peter’s denial.  First Jesus tells us that someone at the table will betray him and turn him over to be arrested.  Then he gives us communion, signs of God’s promise.  Then we hear that Peter, Jesus most intimate disciple, will deny knowing him.              

It is in the very midst of human weakness, between human betrayal of God and human denial of God, that God continues to assert God’s promise of new life and covenant.              

It is knowing and trusting in that promise in the midst of despair that allows Jesus to pray and act with faithfulness right to the cross. So may we hear that promise and when we want to ask God to take away the cup God is offering us, be it illness, or loss, or fear, may we have the trust in God to say, “No our will, but yours be done,” that we too may be able to follow Jesus right to the cross, to the tomb, and to new life in the resurrection.  Amen.  

Prayers  

Holy, Holy, Holy God,
You are our strength, our salvation and our comfort.
Paul calls us to share in the suffering of Christ
and to become like him in death.
Send us strength, send us courage,
send us humility and patience
to enter the tomb with him
and to know the pain and suffering
of your creation and your people.  

Our world is one
in which violence, ignorance,
intolerance, and injustice reign.
Again and again,
Christ suffers and Christ dies.  

When world leaders value profits
over human wellbeing
and just stewardship of the land, air, and waters,
Christ suffers and Christ dies.  

When racism, homophobia,
religious intolerance, and misogyny
are evoked to amass power and influence,
Christ suffers and Christ dies.  

When human dignity is diminished,
where children are separated violently from parents,
Christ suffers and Christ dies.  

When human edifices and institutions
are valued more than human lives,
Christ suffers and Christ dies.  

Again and again our world crucifies Christ,
betraying his gospel,
betraying the image and likeness in which we are created,
betraying your promise, your love, and your compassion.  

And in the darkness,
in the stillness,
in the unknowing,
may your spirit stir in us
such that the seeds of grace
might germinate and start to grow to new life.
The seeds of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  

In the name of the one who died,
In the name of the one rises,
in the name of the one who will come again, we pray. Amen.

Sending Forth

It is Good Friday.
Today's service does not end here.
It continues now until Easter morning.
So there is no "Benediction, or Sending Forth."
Continue to reflect and to wait in hope.