“Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, ‘I find no legal basis for action against this man.'” (Luke 23:4) 

“But they were adamant, shouting their demand that Jesus be crucified. Their voices won out.” (Luke 23:23) 

“They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha, which means Skull Place. They tried to give him wine mixed with myrrh, but he didn’t take it. They crucified him.” (Mark 15:22-24) 
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On Good Friday, an innocent person is brutally executed by those in power.   

Of course, Christians have various ways to theologically understand the events of Good Friday and its meanings. 

And still. 

People who hold positions of power brutally torture and execute an innocent person. 

That is part of what makes the story so sad and enraging, especially if we allow ourselves to consider how innocent people still suffer in our world.

As we will pray together at our Good Friday Service:

One: Merciful God, we acknowledge that Jesus, our teacher and the political insurrectionist, our friend and brother, our savior and a prisoner was incarcerated and executed by those in power.  And we are afraid of the implications.  For this we pray,
All: Lord, hear our prayer.

Holy Week continues on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

We journey with Jesus from the table to the garden to the cross and to the tomb. 

It is not always easy to engage with these deeply meaningful (and difficult) stories of our faith.
 
Though take heart, for Easter Sunday is surely coming.

Love,
Pastor Lauren

Photo by Cdoncel on Unsplash

Thursday Thoughts 4/17/25