Mourn, But Do Not Despair: A Franciscan Good Friday Reflection

On Good Friday, we mourn the death of our Lord but we do not despair. His death on the cross is a gift to us, a sacrifice freely given for our sake, a sign of God’s love for us.

Jesus tells Peter, “Put your sword into its scabbard. Shall I not drink the cup that the Father gave me?”

When mocked, he did not defend himself. When attacked, he did not fight back. Jesus displayed trust in the Father.

“I AM.”

He knew who he was, where he had come from, and where he was going.

In his Admonitions, St. Francis says, “What a man is before God, that he is, and nothing more.” If we are in God and God in us, nothing else matters.

“It is finished.”

The cross did not happen to Jesus, he freely took it upon himself.

It was not a tragic accident, but his plan from the beginning.

REFLECT

Do I trust in God when bad things happen or only in good times?

When I look to the tragic news of our day, am I able to mourn without despairing?

How do I receive Christ’s gift on the cross and share it with others?

What would it look like to trust God more in my life?