“They hated me without a cause (John 15:25)”.

The Gospels blame victimization on the victimizers. Hence we celebrate Good Friday. Good Friday to you all.

(A penitent bites her tongue as she is nailed to a wooden cross as part of a voluntary ritual to mark the death of Jesus Christ on Good Friday in the town of San Juan in Pampanga province, north of Manila April 2, 2010. Numerous penitents were nailed to a cross on Good Friday in the most extreme display of religious devotion in the Philippines, a predominantly Catholic country.
REUTERS/Cheryl Ravelo)

Good Friday also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians to mourn the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum (the period of three days from Holy Thursday) on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday. Canonical gospels suggest that the Crucifixion of Jesus was most probably on a Friday. This year Good Friday falls on the 22 April.

On this day people solemnly follow rituals which include signing hymns, chanting prayers, reading Good Friday sermons etc. Christians all over the world relive the painful moments when son of God, Jesus Christ, was arrested, crucified and put to death which ultimately brought salvation to human race. They take out procession, carry out liturgical services and sing Good Friday songs and hymns.

The church bells remain hushed on this day to grieve the penance and death of Jesus Christ. The statues and pictures at churches are blanketed with black clothes to mark the day as distressing. Many people wear black clothes to mark the significance of Good Friday. Good Friday sermons and passages from the Bible and stories of Christ from St. John Gospel are read out to the mass to relive the importance of the day.

Roman Catholics abstain from having meat, egg, wine or keep fast to show their admiration and love towards their Lord. They also carry out chanting of Isaiah, Hebrews and the Passion account.

Now a days sending Good Friday wishes through SMS and e-mail on this sacred occasion has become popular.

Some of the messages are like:

May the glory of our Savior
Strengthen you and May
His Graces Shine Upon You
On Good Friday and Always !

May His light guide your path…
May his love grace your heart…
And may His scarifice strengthen
Your Soul ! Thinking of you on
GOOD FRIDAY….!

May the blesssings
Of the Lord
Shine upon u
On this Holy Day
& may he always
Keep in his loving care

Mike Van Buskirk an American who runs ‘Embassy of Hope’, a church based NGO in Gangtok, Sikkim wrote on his Facebook Page, “His death brings us life!”

 

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