From Bethlehem to Jerusalem !

 

For some unknown reason, I was drawn by the number three, while preparing to move from Maundy Thursday to Good Friday. 

Jesus of Nazareth born in a manger at Bethlehem, had His earthly end at the cross at Golgotha and burial in. sepulchre in Jerusalem.

He was buried in a borrowed Sepulchre!

The next three days were a season of tarrying for His followers as He spoke during His teachings, that He would rise from the dead on the third day. 

The mid day turning dark, the dead rising from their tombs, an earthquake and renting of the veil in the temple were events that accompanied when Jesus breathed His last while hanging on the cross. 

Those events would have substantiated the belief of His followers, that something more would happen on the third day, as Jesus had spoken about Him rising on the third day. 

Jesus turned the first Good Friday to be a transition into a new life.  The suffering during His trial and on the cross became a passage into a new life, as a symbol to humanity that suffering was an experience but not an end in itself. 

Suffering is a lonely experience. The disciples watched His crucifixion from a distance! Jesus was left abandoned on the cross with two chiefs on either side hanging on their crosses.

Jesus opened a reconciling path while suffering, by forgiving one thief hanging beside him, who turned to Him. Jesus committed His wailing mother to John, by pronouncing to Mary while pointing to John, 'Behold your son'! The gift of forgiveness and the birth of a new community beyond blood relationships happened while Jesus was dying!

There are many significant roots of the faith tradition for the followers of Jesus of Nazareth associated with the life, teachings and doings of Jesus. The gift of forgiveness and demonstration of forming a new community of pilgrim followers, which began from the cross, where Jesus was nailed, form the foundation for pilgrims of today to live in pursuit of their calling to follow after Jesus of Nazareth. 

It was three days of waiting then for experiencing the risen Christ. Now the waiting to see, 'love, faith, and hope' becoming the language of human relationships is a long wait! 

Some humans impose and perpetuate suffering to their fellow humans, while many humans are involved to bring back the message of 'love, hope and faith' to anchor the lives of those who are in despair. 

Another Good Friday! The destination was not a sepulchre for Jesus who was born in a manger. Jesus of Nazareth suffered, died and rose again to bring reconciliation to men and women!

The three days of trials of Jesus and three days in the tomb were not dark days, but a public display of the act of self giving, about which we read: 'Who being in the nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness and found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient to death-even death on a cross..'(Philip.2:6-8).

That was the story of the first passion week!

Every year as we go through the passion week and participate symbolically in the suffering of Jesus during the lenten season, the call that comes to every follower of Jesus is for mindful self giving towards fellow humans!

As I watched the pilgrims walk along the road with a cross on their shoulder,  to go to a church on a hill at Malayattoor for Good Friday rituals, I feel moved by the penitential expression of human hearts. This generates hope and renewal !

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)