For my post this Easter Weekend, I am sharing sections of an opinion written by the late Michael Gerson, which appeared in the Washington Post. Mr. Gerson was an unabashed evangelical Christian who believed in the importance of faith in public life. A speech writer for President George W. Bush, the two men could not have been more different — Mr. Gerson cerebral, reserved, fidgety; Mr. Bush folksy, outgoing, relaxed — but they shared an almost psychic connection, especially when putting shared values into words.
WHAT GOOD FRIDAY TEACHES US ABOUT CYNICISM
The story of GOOD FRIDAY—the garden, bloody sweat, sleeping friends, a torch-carrying crowd, the kiss, the slash of a sword, the questioning, scourging, mocking…the nails, the despair of a good man—is an invitation to cynicism. Nearly every human institution is revealed at its worst.
Government comes off poorly, giving Jesus the bureaucratic shuffle, with no one wanting to take responsibility, until a weak leader gives in to the crowd in the name of keeping the peace.
“What is truth?” asks Pontius Pilate, with a sneer typical of politics to this present day. Professional men of religion do not appear in their best light. They are violently sectarian, judgmental and turn to the state to enforce their beliefs. “Jesus was not brought down by atheism and anarchy,” theologian Barbara Taylor sharply observers. “He was brought down by law and order allied with religion, which is always a deadly mix.”
The crowd does not acquit itself well, turning hostile and cruel as quickly as an Internet mob, first putting palms beneath his feet, then thorns upon his brow. Even friendship comes in for a beating. The men closest to Jesus sleep while his enemies are fully awake. There is betrayal by a close, disgruntled associate. And then Peter’s spastic violence and cowardly denials. The women—all assorted Marys—come off far better in the narrative. But Jesus is essentially abandoned to face his long, suffocating death alone.
And, for a moment, even God seems to fail, vanishing into a shocking silence…
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” asks Jesus, in words that many of his followers would want to erase from the Bible. How could the Son of God be subject to despair? G.K. Chesterton called Christianity the only religion in which “God seemed for an instant to be an atheist.”
WAS GOD ABSENT ON GOOD FRIDAY?
Consider how the world appeared at the finish of Good Friday. It would have seemed that every source of order, justice and comfort—politics, institutional religion, the community of friendship—had been discredited. It was the cynic’s finest hour. And God Himself seemed absent or unmoved, turning cynicism toward nihilism. Every ember of human hope was cold. And there was nothing to be done about it.
Then something happened. There was disagreement at the time, as now, on what that something was. According to the story, Pilate posted a guard at the tomb with the instruction: “Make it as secure as you can.” Then the cynics somehow lost control of the narrative. There was an empty tomb and wild reports of angels and ghosts. And the claim of resurrection.
EASTER
Even those who believe the body was moved, must confront certain facts. Faith in the figure who Rome executed has far outlasted the Roman Empire. (Comment: I love this major point.) The cowardly friends became BOLD missionaries, most dying torturous deaths (according to tradition) for the sake of a figure they had once betrayed in their sleep. The faith thus founded has given the mob—all of us, even the ones who mock, especially the ones who mock—the hope of pardon and peace.
For believers, the complete story of Good Friday and Easter legitimize both despair and faith. Nearly every life features less-than-good Fridays.
We grow tired of our own company and travel a descending path of depression. We experience lonely pain, unearned suffering or stinging injustice.
We are rejected or betrayed by a friend.
And then there are the unspeakable things—the death of a child, the diagnosis of an aggressive cancer, the steady advance of a disease that will take our minds and our dignity.
We look into the abyss of self-murder. And given the example of Christ, we are permitted to feel God-forsaken.
And yet…eventually …or so we trust…or so we try to trust: God is forever on the side of HOPE! ( my capitals)
If the resurrection is real, death’s hold is broken. There is a truth and human existence that cannot be contained in a tomb.
It is possible to live lightly, even in the face of death—not by becoming hard and strong, but through a confident perseverance. Because cynicism is the failure of patience. Because Good Friday does not have the final word.
(artwork by Harold Coping; unknown; Gustav Klimt)
6 Responses
Wow! Just wow. So many thoughts in my head here, but this is so good. Explaining Easter to a non-Christian is difficult- because as a Christian I, (as well as many), have so many questions and wonderings and stray thoughts wandering around in my head and heart. This lays out a perspective encompassing the whole story. Wow!
Hi Melanie, THANK YOU. I found this on my desk…I print off things that touch me and WOW, this was the right time to find this.
I have often wondered, and I think we all have, about some of the events of the passion. The resurrection is like medicine, blessings, hope all rolled
into one. HE IS OKAY. HE SURVIVED. He is no longer in pain…the thoughts a mother would have. The cruelty of men (and some women) putting him
through those horrors. And yes, it all comes down to faith. Thanks for reading.
Ascension, faith, and love. Those are essentials. I was taught to keep my beliefs in my heart and to let my life actions speak for me. What brings comfort and joy is good. Easter is good.
Nancy, totally agree with everything you wrote. But I do think there will come a time when we will be called up to speak out, claim what we believe and how
it might save our democracy. ONE DAY AT A TIME.
I’ve read his piece before and was struck by it as I am again reading the things you have reprinted
Life is the same for us all no matter how it might look to the outside world but I think these times are very dark and I can only help there is some sort of a resurrection of love and even common sense but I do feel hopeless about it at least in my life time
Aw Carol, Thanks for writing. I agree…these times are very dark. The ability to lie and spread those lies via all the social medial we now have might
just be our downfall. Nazi Germany forbad communication through book burning, murder and stopping presses. The only way to KNOW how to react to social change is to KNOW
what the hell is going on. We certainly have access to information, but it is HOW it is presented that tricks people into hate and anger. Yes, these times
are very dark. And thus we must seek out the light, condemn the dark. IS IT NOT EASY. Some people just don’t care or don’t realize how their lives might change.
Thanks again, My Friend.