At the Foot of the Cross

Today’s words of inspiration come from Good Friday liturgy in the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer:

O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Hear today’s Words of Hope:

The Good Friday liturgy in the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer does not spend a lot of words on personal salvation or the work of Christ on the cross. Following a simple prayer and the reading of the Passion of Christ from the Gospel of John, the liturgy then asks those in worship to pray “for people everywhere according to their needs.”

These Solemn Collects pray for the church and Christians everywhere. They pray for the government of the United States and the United Nations. They pray for the hungry, sick, lonely, bereaved, and prisoners. They pray for people whose hearts are hardened, who lost their faith, who have been persecuted and who have persecuted others in the name of Christ.

In these prayers and collects, we are literally being asked to lay down our concerns and our intercessions at the foot of the cross. Whatever is wrong in our society, whoever needs to be lifted up, wherever there is injustice in the world… these are laid at Christ’s crucified feet.

So, what do you need to leave at the foot of the cross?

Is it jealousy of a neighbor?

Is it your own insecurity about being loved?

Is it separation from a loved one?

Is it fear of the future?

Is it your indifference to those in need?

Is it your inaction in the face of injustice?

Is it bereavement?

Whatever it is, you are invited to leave it at the cross. Because something will happen to that jealousy, insecurity, separation, fear, indifference, inaction, and bereavement. It will be turned to joy at the resurrection. What you leave at the cross will not and cannot remain there. A closing prayer in this Good Friday liturgy tells you so. The resurrection tells you so. Here is that prayer:

Let us pray:

We glory in your cross, O Lord, and praise and glorify your holy resurrection; for by virtue of your cross, joy has come to the whole world. Amen.