good friday and easter

Dear Sumire,

My previous week was actually kind of different from all my ordinary weeks. The whole time I was in Melaka, the church is celebrating the Holy Week. It’s the most important celebration in our Catholic's calendar; in fact it is much much more important than Christmas.

Every year, I get SMS from friends wishing me "Happy Good Friday". I don't blame them because they probably did not know and I'm more than happy and willing to explain what Good Friday truly is to them.

In truth, we mourn on Good Friday. We fast on that day. On Good Friday, we reflect on the Passion of the Christ. We commemorate the death of Jesus and his crucifixion on the cross. You might ask, why called it 'Good Friday' then?

First Peter 3:18 told us,

"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.”

While Romans 5:8 told us;

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

We called it 'Good' Friday because Jesus chose to sacrificed himself for the sins of the world. It was a good cause. Catholic faithfuls believe that he became our Savior by dying on the cross. He was crucifix because of His love for us.

I took some pictures on Good Friday at St Peter’s Church Melaka. This is how Good Friday’s atmosphere always has been. Sad and down. That’s why in some countries, it’s known as the Black Friday.

Who could be more sad than the Virgin Mother Mary who'd to see her own blood and bone nailed on the cross?

Catholics praying around the statue of Jesus.

Christ suffered bodily pain and suffering because of His love for us.

I'm sure you'd heard before that:

"Christ was crucified and was buried, on the third day He rose again."

On Good Friday we commemorate the death of Jesus. On Easter Sunday, we celebrate the risen Lord! It's also called Pascha or also called the Feast of the Resurrection of the Lord. Catholics faithfuls believe that Jesus' will come again at the Judgment Day to judge the living and the dead.

This is probably a little too short for my readers to understand in full what Good Friday and Easter Sunday is all about. But I guess now at least you could understand that Good Friday is not as happy as you thought, and Easter Sunday is not about bunnies and colorful eggs. :-)

Thanks be to Lord Jesus Christ,

jin