Good Friday

A beautiful full moon--white last night, yellow this morning.

Through the day, I wore under my clothes a crucifix that was given to me by a Catholic friend back in Utah in 1997, as I was leaving for what I think of as my "second mission" to the Dominican Republic.

I led the first-Friday service of contemplative song and prayer this evening. These were the scripture readings I prepared.

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PSALM 22 (selections)

Where are you, God?
Why have you abandoned me?
Again and again, I cry out to you—
but you do not answer.

Everyone mocks me.
They make faces and pretend to be concerned.
“Look to God,” they say. “He will help you.
He cares so much about you!”

I have been poured out like water;
all my bones are out of joint.
My heart is like melted wax.
My mouth is parched with thirst.
I lie in the dust, waiting to die.
The dogs are closing in.

A gang of ruffians surrounds me.
They stare and gloat.
I am so starved, they can see the bones under my skin.
They seize my hands and feet.
They strip me of my clothes
and cast lots to decide who keeps what.

Come help me, God!
Hurry!
Save me from the sword!
Save me from the dogs!

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HEBREWS 4:14-16

My friends, let us not lose faith!
For we have a great high priest,
Jesus, God’s Begotten,
who has passed through the veil of heaven
to plead on our behalf.

He is not a stern priest,
aloof or unsympathetic to our struggles.
On the contrary—
for though Jesus was without sin,
yet in every respect
he experienced our human weakness.

Therefore, let us approach God boldly,
so that we may receive mercy
and grace
to assist us in time of need.

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JOHN 19:16-30 (selections)

They took Jesus,
and made him carry his cross
to what is called the Place of the Skull.
There they crucified him,
along with two others.

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus,
they took his clothes
and divided them up among themselves.

Standing near Jesus’ cross
were his mother,
his mother’s sister,
Mary, whose husband was Clopas,
and Mary Magdalene.

When Jesus saw his mother
and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her,
he said to his mother,
“There is your son.”
Then he said to the disciple,
“There is your mother.”
And from that hour, the disciple took her into his home.

After this, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”
A jar full of sour wine was standing there.
They put a sponge dipped in the wine on a branch
and held it up to his mouth.

When Jesus had received the wine,
he said, “It is finished.”
Then his head fell forward
and he died.