Good Friday
Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your
family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be
betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer
death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and
the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Continuing the theme of rolling with the punches this Triduum I had to manage a bit of disappointment on Good Friday as well. I always do the noon service on Good Friday. I love the long slow contemplative three hours and have gotten used to the rhythm that included Veneration of the Cross, the Passion Gospel and Eucharist along with the Solemn Collects (which I will blog about some day...but not yet...they are pretty long and deep and I'd need quite a bit of time.) 

But this is my first year at St. Bart's in the City and they do Good Friday differently. The Eucharist from the Reserved Sacrament is done at 8 am...the noon service is a Traditional 7 Last Words service. Though this is a Jesuit service I tend to associate it with the protestant tradition I grew up with. I find it powerful as well, but I miss Eucharist on this day of all days. So when I got to the church I had a momentary twinge of disappointment that I'd missed the only Eucharist of the day. 

But that only lasted a minute or two. Once I got into the rhythm of what was actually being presented me I found that it was if anything more powerful than the services I was used to. I always have to remember that my attachment to Eucharist is not always so healthy...in the same way that attachment to anything can actually get in the way of the present encounter with God. Once I reminded myself that Christ is eucharistically present in the reading of scripture...and that if I actively prayed the readings that I could participate in the same way in that Presence...then everything was amazing. I did lectio during the readings and silence...and let the sermons wash over me. So much richness...so much meaning. I was truly in a different space when I finished.

I've already blogged about the cross this week...and ultimately, as one of my old rectors said, the crucifixion story says all that really needs to be said without commentary, I just want to make a small comment on the collect for this day. Gone is the theological setting and instead we have a simple and beautiful statement...God...behold your family...yes us. That contentious, diverse, bickering group of siblings all clamoring to get your attention, to seek your favor, to test your limits...this is the family you chose...and we are the ones you sent son/self too. You tried to get our attention. You tried to teach us. You provoked our thoughts. You shook our souls. And when that wasn't enough you realized you had to do an extravagant act of love. It was for us...whether it was required by law, or given as example, or ransom or any of those other theological constructs, the important thing was that it was for us...and it was a supreme act of love. Make us worthy of that act.