Mark 15:16-32 RSV
Good Friday
“So also the chief priests mocked him to one another with the scribes, saying,
“He saved others; he cannot save himself.
Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Mark 15:31-32
Reading this passage from the perspective of today’s world, we might indeed wonder why he didn’t do precisely what they requested. In our world, any semi-competent PR person or ad agency would take advantage of the opportunity in dramatic terms. From our perspective the really spectacular thing would have been precisely for Jesus to step down from the cross and say something to the effect, “OK, guys now let’s talk”. It would be a Clint Eastwood or Arnold Schwarzenegger moment and it would make the nightly news for sure. How better to get across God’s message to humankind than with such a dramatic action?
In contrast, Jesus suffers, dies, and is buried. Then the resurrection is not recognized except by a select group of people who then carry that almost unbelievable truth to the world. The most wondrous event in history is greeted in quiet encounters with those who already believe he is the Christ. There is no public news conference with Jesus standing there taking questions and showing people what they missed during his first tour of duty. So, what is this all about and what does it say to us?
I suggest it points to a central truth about God and our faith in Jesus as the Christ, meaning God’s chosen one to reveal the nature of God, and God’s ultimate commitment to life and love. In the final analysis the Divine message of God’s love can only be encountered through faith, not through “dramatic proofs”. It is the “still small voice” that nudges our souls to fulfill our relationship to the transcendent. It is our own personal faith encounter with the living Christ in our hearts that must be the root of our “new life” in Christ. We are called to live our Christian lives by faith not some historical drama. Faith is how we encounter the presence of the Divine.
Prayer: So our prayer this day is that of Luther; “I believe, help thou my unbelief”.
Reflection Question: How can I strengthen my faith in my daily living?
Reflections 