Good Friday & The Like

On April 14th I attended the Good Friday service at All Souls, Unitarian in Washington DC. It was a tenebrae service, based upon a tradition of worshiping in the shadow of the cross, in the darkness of the crucifixion. I did not know what to expect, but what I experienced was very powerful, and awe-inspiring. The combination of the church's organ and soloist with the story of death, betrayal, and fear affected me. My main focus was not of Judas's kiss, nor Peter's denial.

I focused on Jesus' fear of death.

How he threw himself down in prayer in the garden, asking if his betrayal and death be passed on. How his disciples fell asleep and could not stay with him in his time of thought and need. Jesus was alone with his thoughts of impending death, praying three times, checking in on his disciples between each prayer, and seeing their weakness. I cannot even begin to fathom his spirit's condition at that moment. But I do see a glimmer of my own fear of death and passing on.

It comforts me to see someone as highly regarded and holy as Jesus Christ have a fear of death. So often through the Midwestern narrative of Christianity, Jesus is portrayed as the all and ever loving idol who teaches the unrelentingly loving message of God. There is nothing wrong with him in the least. He holds no anger (except that one time in the Temple), he loves all people unconditionally and without pause, and he teaches lessons that I would eventually use myself.

But during the time in the garden we see Jesus scared and fearful. He is not stoic about his responsibility. He asks if his duty can pass. He agonized over his future death for three hours, at least. This scene allows me to relate to Jesus. While I do not know if my death is imminent, it is comforting to see a holy man fear his death. Many a-time I've stared at the ceiling in the dark after a long day and wondered why I must die as well. What does that mean for me, and the future of eternity after I'm gone? This usually happens after I've had a good day. I wonder why I have to leave this wonderful earth and all of it's beautiful inhabitants.


And then there is the actual moments leading up to, and involving the death of Jesus. Depending on what/how you read the story you will hear different things, but two things stand out to me:

The moment before death where Jesus calls out: "E′li, E′li, la′ma sa‧bach‧tha′ni?", which is translated from Aramaic to: "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" This moment means a lot to me. It is a show of desperation from Jesus, and really sends shivers down my back every time I read it or think about it. In his final moments Jesus calls aloud his abandonment in his time if need, and his leaving of his earthly body. Even while he accepted his responsibility in the garden, he still showed his desperation before his death. It just makes me hesitate for a moment, and I hope I can come to terms with my mortality before my passing, and that I will not be fearful.


The second item that brings me hope though is something that sticks with Jesus' all-encompassing love. It is earlier on when he says "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." This phrase connects directly in support of the idea of radical love. Radical love is the method of social change I subscribe to. Radical love is believing that every single human being is good, and that only through an appeal of love and forgiveness can we bend the moral arc of the universe towards justice. The idea/phrase is most associated with The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. and his efforts for justice in the civil rights movement of the 1960's. But there was a reason Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist Reverend first, and a Doctor second.

But back to Jesus. This moment of radical love shows the emphasis Jesus places on loving everyone, even if they are the ones to crucify him. To me, the fact that through all of his agony, and through all of his trials, he still holds radical love for his executioners, and that they should be forgiven because they have been misled and they hold only a veil of anger and hatred over their ultimately Good souls.

I think that is why I like All Souls and Unitarian Universalism (UU) so much. The UU faith has no dogma, nor canonical literature, but we do have our seven principles, and those come from a plethora of religious backgrounds and faith traditions. Those seven principles guide my life, and help me to carryout the best I can do in my everyday life. They include:

1. The inherent worth and dignity of every person
2. Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations
3. Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations
4. A free and responsible search for truth and meaning
5. The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.
6. The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all
7. Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a apart

To me Jesus' story is one of hope and offers a wonderful reflection of a mortal man who had everlasting love for people. It fits directly into the Unitarian Universalist narrative. I've always had a tinge of cynicism about Christianity, especially how it is used sometimes in modern contexts. Yet, there is a way that Jesus' love, messages, and teachings really get to me. I'm not exactly sure of a definitive higher power that gives intentionality to life. But because Jesus claims be the son of that God, I have hope that, if that power is out there, they are an ever-present love that emanates across life.

All Souls, Unitarian DC. Easter Sunday service. Packed to the gills with people, guy playing the organ, choir singing. It was a beautiful day, if not a little warm, and I enjoyed the service very much.