Lent is coming to a close, and the Holy Triduum of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday is upon us. Lent this year has been a good journey for me, although I have not completely stuck to my resolutions. As this season of the liturgical year gives way to Paschal time, I have been reflecting on the deeper meaning behind Good Friday. Christ’s Passion provides more than enough material for deep thought, and I’d like to share these some of these thoughts with you.
There are very few people out there who could confidently say that they’re ready for death, whenever it may come. Most people, myself included, shrink from and put off thoughts of death by saying internally, “Oh, quit overthinking. You’ve got plenty of time to worry about that.” However, as we all know, many people die before they are old and grey. Some people die in the prime of life, while others live but a few years. While stories like these generate a sense of sympathy and wistfulness when seen on the news, we never dream that it could happen to us. This year, Good Friday and Holy Saturday (April 14-15th) coincide with some important anniversaries, and I think that there is a common theme among them that should be mentioned.
On April 14th, 1912, the RMS Titanic struck an iceberg near Greenland, and had completely sunk by the early morning hours of April 15th. This year will be the 105th anniversary of the sinking. Now, before we all start daydreaming about Rose and Jack, pause to think of all the other people who suffered this tragedy. Disasters have a way of bringing out the best and the worst in people, and that was certainly the case with the Titanic. One thing that makes my blood boil every time I read about this, is the injustices shown to the third-class passengers. Countless people were trapped below deck, so the first-class passengers could get off ahead of them. Others used bribes and made deals to secure spots in the lifeboats, which weren’t even filled to full capacity. Despite such displays of cowardice and selfishness, there are also many people to admire. I’ve often found inspiration from the musicians on board, who continued to play their instruments to calm the people until the ship went under. What a touching final homage to their talent and love of music! Fr. Thomas Byles, a Catholic priest, refused to get in a lifeboat while other people were still aboard, and continued to hear confessions and led people of all faiths in the Rosary as the ship went down. Isidor Straus (the co-owner of Macy’s) refused to leave the ship while there were still women and children trapped on the ship, while his wife Ida was determined to remain with him, since during their entire marriage they had never spent more than ten days apart. As tragic as the sinking of the Titanic was, it continues to shows us that people are still capable of compassion and bravery, even when facing death. Even when it means you sacrifice your own life for another.
On April 14th, 1865, Abraham Lincoln was shot in the back of the head by actor John Wilkes Booth, and died on the morning of April 15th. Only a short time before did the surrender of the South take place at the Appomattox Court House. This assassination was part of a bigger plot amongst Booth and other Southern sympathizers to take out the key players in America’s government: Lincoln (President), Andrew Johnson (Vice President), and William Seward (Secretary of State). Although the attempt on Lincoln’s life was the only successful one, it could have had even more disastrous effects on the country if all three men had been killed. Lincoln, his wife, and two guests went to see the play Our American Cousin, performed at Ford’s Theatre in Washington D.C. They were enjoying a small bit of recreation after the end of a war that made Lincoln look years older than he actually was. His plans for rebuilding post-war America, the hope of the newly freed slaves, and the morale of a war-weary people were shattered with one bullet. Of course, Lincoln did not know that he was going to die that night. But he seldom, if ever, rested or relaxed in pursuit of his ultimate goal: to keep America from being torn apart. His life was one that was full of hardships and disappointments, but we can say with confidence that he tried his best, although he probably wished he could have done more. In the end, he accomplished that goal, and in this context, he was prepared for death. He was an odd-looking person with a quiet manner, and no one thought he would amount to anything. Yet, he became a great leader and one of the most celebrated figures of American history. At the moment of his death, one could say that his was a life well-lived.
On Good Friday in 33 A.D., Christ died for us on the Cross. On Holy Saturday, He was still in the tomb. He handled death in the best way possible. He knew what awaited Him and accepted it calmly. It doesn’t mean that He wasn’t afraid. Rather, He could see things from two perspectives. Through His human nature, He was certainly afraid. Through His Divine nature, He knew the greater purpose for which He was dying, and the good that would come from it. He is God, so He experienced these viewpoints simultaneously. During His whole Passion, He was patient, never cursed anyone, and gave the rest of us an example, showing us how to handle our own dying moments. From the beginning of time, God has known our fears and anxieties. To prove to us that He knows, He became human, experienced human fear and pain, and died a human death. “Greater love than this no man hath, that a man may lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). But this is not where His lesson ends. Good Friday and Holy Saturday are followed by Easter Sunday. Christ told His disciples, “Watch ye therefore, because you know not the day nor the hour” (Matt. 25:13). We do not know when we will die. It could happen in 3 years. It could happen in 50. It could happen tomorrow. But Christ did not let the knowledge of Passion prevent Him from completing His mission. Easter is a reminder that there is a life after death. And isn’t that the point of being a Christian? Christ triumphed over death. We know that there is something bigger to live for. We keep our final destination in mind at all times. Death can certainly seem like a scary void, but when we realize that it’s the start of an eternity without sorrow or pain, it will not seem that way for long.
Earth is not meant to be our home. God created us for a world beyond the one that we can see. We have to pass through this one in order to appreciate the next one properly. We have to put in effort for God and bear our crosses now, in order to have the pay-off later. Have you ever noticed that spring is full of signs of rebirth and new life? Flowers bloom from the cold ground, nature becomes green again, and it’s the season for weddings and new babies. Everything about this season is alive. A life well-lived for God here on earth, will earn us an eternal spring later. Heaven is not some place of sleepy happiness, but a joyful home where we will learn the meaning of being fully awake. Death is merely the passage through a dark tunnel to get to the light of our new beginning.
