Semana Santa – Good Friday

 Today we continue our series at looking at Semana Santa (Holy Week) through the eyes of Costa Rica and through the eyes of Scripture.

Above: A cross in rural Costa Rica.

Today is Good Friday, the biggest day of Semana Santa here in Costa Rica. Good Friday commemorates the day Jesus died and thus is one of the most important days in the Christian faith. Everything has closed, the streets are empty, and people are preparing to join their families in remembering the death of Christ.

One of religious traditions of the Catholic is the Way of the Cross (Via Dolorosa). This is a religious representation of the journey of Jesus towards his death. Many parades will go on throughout the city today in which many people will dress in full costumes representing everyone involved in the trial and crucifixion. These parades are not for the faint of heart; a man playing Jesus will seek to go through everything that Jesus did, including dragging the cross, being beaten, and in some places even being crucified. This seemingly vulgar and horrible act is done to sympathize with Jesus, to show appreciation for him, and/or in a way to atone for one’s own sins.

Ironically, as horrible as this sounds, it cannot even begin to compare to the actually physical, mental, and spiritual pain Jesus felt on the cross. As Jesus was about to die on the cross, he cried out his famous last words, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 27:47) The pain of these words does not come from the torment of the nails in his hands and his feet, but rather from the knowledge that the God of the universe, who can do anything he wills, will let his perfect son die.

For any parent, this plea for help from a child to a father is almost too much to bear. Our love is imperfect and sinful, and yet we all would do absolutely anything for our children, so how can a perfect God forsake his son at such a desperate and terrifying time? The answer is at the very heart of the gospel, Jesus is deserted and left to cry these words in order that we never have to.

Apart from God, we are left facing life, death, and eternity alone. There is a punishment that awaits us all for disobeying God. That punishment, that cup of torment and wrath, is poured out on Jesus as he suffers on the cross. His perfect life is the perfect sacrifice in order that our imperfect lives may be redeemed. God forsakes his son, for a time, in order that we are never forsaken again.

The beatings and crucifixions that will go on throughout the world today, though I am sure powerful to experience, do nothing to change our standing before God. One man, one perfect, sacrificial lamb, died a horrible death in our place. By his grace, we never have to utter those terrifying words, because God will never forsake us.