Holy Week Reflections - Friday, the Day of Mourning

"When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, 'Woman, here is your son,' and to the disciple, 'Here is your mother.' From that time on, this disciple took her into his home." John 19:26-27, NIV.

For me, Good Friday is a day of grief. I feel like weeping, even though I know the Day of Resurrection is coming on Sunday. I can't really explain it; it's just there.

I relate to Mary, his mother. She stood at the cross watching her son die in such agony. I can only imagine the pain she also felt. If one of my children were hanging there, I would want to somehow alleviate his (or her) pain. In Jesus's case, that would have been impossible to do.

John stood there, too, close enough to hear Jesus. That would be pretty close. Think about the last time you spent a day hurting and exhausted. How loud was your voice? I think His would have been a hoarse whisper, except for that last loud cry.

John had to have been in deep mental anguish, too, to see his Master and friend hurting so. I'm sure he accepted with gratitude the last assignment Jesus would give him--to take care of His mother for the rest of John's life. Gratitude and probably humility that Jesus would choose him, John, to care for her.

Where were the other disciples? Apparently in hiding, or perhaps among the crowd gathered around. Some of the women who had accompanied Jesus and the disciples were there. And the centurion who said, "Surely, this was the Son of God."

So please, if you see me today, don't tell me jokes. Don't try to distract me from my sorrow. Don't cheer me up. Allow me the grief of this day. I'll be joyful on Sunday.