Good Friday and Me

When the creation of man was first mooted and when, even at that stage, the Enemy freely confessed that he foresaw a certain episode about a cross, Our Father very naturally sought an interview and asked for an explanation. The Enemy gave no reply except to produce the cock-and-bull story about disinterested love which He has been circulating ever since. This Our Father naturally could not accept. He implored the Enemy to lay His cards on the table, and gave Him every opportunity. He admitted that he felt a real anxiety to know the secret; the Enemy replied “I wish with all my heart that you did”.

Screwtape Letters, CS Lewis

Christ died for me.  The death of Christ on Calvary has immense theological significance:   the salvation of all mankind, the redemption from sin and the opening of the gates of Heaven.  I understand all of that on an intellectual level.  However, on Good Friday the fact that the Creator of All died for me, one of His creations, always hits me like an emotional freight train.  All of my life I have been fascinated by courage, especially sacrificial courage where men die to protect others.  We are such a flawed species, but capable of the heights of nobility when love and courage combine.  Then we put aside the great fear of death, and truly understand why we are here:  to love.

I have enjoyed great kindness and love from the people I have encountered in this life, but no one, thank God, has had to die for me, except God.  He saw all of my sins, my weaknesses and my folly, and laid down His life for me anyway.  As Saint Paul said:  [6] For why did Christ, when as yet we were weak, according to the time, die for the ungodly? [7] For scarce for a just man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man some one would dare to die. [8] But God commendeth his charity towards us; because when as yet we were sinners, according to the time, [9] Christ died for us; much more therefore, being now justified by his blood, shall we be saved from wrath through him.

For me He died.  Courage and love on Calvary.  God taught us much while he dwelled among us in the flesh, but His death perhaps was the greatest lesson of all, as He demonstrated what He meant by Love One Another.