He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. – 1 Peter 2:24
The cross was heavy. The Bible tells us that Jesus’ cross was so heavy, Simon from Cyrene was forced by Roman soldiers to help carry it.
But I’m also talking about the cross St. Luke’s uses for its Good Friday Tenebrae service. If you’ve never been to it, I can’t adequately describe how powerful this service is. Near the end, a staff member carries the cross down the center aisle and places it in a holder.
Last year, it was my turn. It’s so heavy. You have to lean forward, or the bottom will scrape the ground – but not too far forward, or you’ll collapse. While one hand supports it, the other hand has to keep it from swinging to the side and hitting the seats. The wood starts digging into your shoulder, but you have to ignore the pain because making the slightest adjustment might cause you to fall.
The pressure was heavy. I had practiced carrying the cross the day before, but when it came time to carry it for the service, it suddenly felt even heavier. That’s because I began imagining what Jesus must have been thinking while carrying His cross. Then I felt guilty for even comparing my experience to His. Jesus had been beaten and tortured before having to carry a much heavier cross to His death. I felt so unworthy. “God, I pray that I don’t embarrass you,” I remember thinking.
Then things changed after the first few steps. I let go of my worry and guilt, feeling as if God wasn’t about to let me fall – because the meaning of the moment was heavy. I felt honored to be telling the story of God’s incredible love for us. Through the cross, Jesus paid the price for our sins, so that we wouldn’t have to. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Christ conquered death on the cross so that we could have life beyond death as well. Through the cross, we are saved. It’s beautifully heavy with love. It’s why they call it “Good Friday.”
If we let go of our everyday worries and focus on the love and hope of God’s gift to us, we can live the abundant life He wants for us.
God is always greater than our worries. It makes me feel so much lighter.
– Ed Doney, Staff Writer
