Apr 2: Good Friday - "Were You There?"

Mark 15: 1-47
And they brought Him unto the place called Golgotha (which is, being interpreted, The Place of a Skull). And they gave Him to drink wine mingled with myrrh, but He received it not. And when they had crucified Him, they parted His garments, casting lots for them to see what every man should take. And it was the third hour when they crucified Him.
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Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

You are a merchant, living in Jerusalem. You celebrated the Passover this week with friends. You are a peaceful person, not wanting conflict around you. You hear about some men going on public trial today and that Pilate, as is the tradition, will let one prisoner go free. You stand in the crowd, caught up in the brutal mentality of the mob. For one man, you shout "Free him!". For another, one you have heard causes trouble in the Temple, you shout, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"

Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?

You are a young Roman solider. You are far from your home, having been assigned to this dusty city full people whose language and traditions you don't understand. You have been assigned, on this day, to push a man along in the streets, forcing Him to carry the cross on which He will be crucified. He must have done something terrible to deserve this. When you reach the top of the barren hill outside of town, you press Him onto the rough-hewn wood. He does not seem to resist. Why? You hold the sharp iron spikes against His hands, then feet, while your fellow soldier pounds them mercilessly through His flesh. He does not make a sound as you raise the cross to a standing position. His blood drips onto your shoulder as you drop the base of the cross into the hole in the ground, assuring pain, torture and eventual death for this man. What did he do?

Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?

You are Mary. As much as you did not want it, you knew deep in your heart that this day might come. The brilliant memory of the angel's visit, the excitement of that moment rings hollow on this day. You have watched your Son grow and come to be the Man that He is; speaking words of beauty and peace; healing; loving. Now, He is gone. You are broken beyond measure.

Oh, sometimes, it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Yes, we were all there. We stand there yet today every time we do not show mercy; every time we allow ourselves to play a role in something unkind; every time when we should show love but we deliver anger or hate; every time we watch a friend, a loved one or a child in pain. We were there.