Mark 15:33-40
Good Friday

It is the year 1620 and there are a group of people in Holland. A group of pilgrims who are about to embark on a quest. They have deified religious authorities in their native England so that they may seek the truth about God. They will soon set sail to the new world, relocating again, looking to establish a community where they can live their faith in an open and honest way. They spend the entire night before their departure in prayer. Before they get ready to leave, to get on the Mayflower, their pastor who was not yet able to go with them, spoke to them. Part of what he said was this:

“The Lord has more truth and more light yet to break forth from his holy world. “

Mark tells us that there are three women at the foot of the cross- Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and a woman named Salome. It is clear that Jesus gave status to women that they could get nowhere else.

As they watch the man they followed crucified, being put to death in the worst way possible, what is going through their minds, their hearts. We are told that darkness comes over the earth. Darkness is symbolic with suffering. Not only is Jesus suffering, but those who are at the foot of the cross, these three women notably are suffering. It seems as though death as the final word. It seems as no new light will break forth, which is the worst kind of darkness that any of us can experience.

At the foot of the cross, these three women are suffering, heartbroken We often live somewhere between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. We experience great joys in life but we also experience great pain as well, times when it seems as though the light will not break forth. It’s hard to imagine seeing any light at the foot of the cross,

Today, we remember and we know that we never suffer alone. We look forward in hope, knowing that death never has the final word.

Katie Gibson
Director of Children’s & Youth Ministries