Easter is coming up, but long before there were bunnies and chocolate eggs, there was a miraculous, glorious day when the Creator of the Universe took his son, already dead and in the
tomb, and raised him to life again.
But before there was that amazing life-giving day, there was a terrible, horrible, painful day of suffering we now call Good Friday.
For those of us who have seen the movies that depict the arrest, beating and crucifixion of Jesus, we know that he suffered more than we can imagine. We think of his disciples who all fled in fear of their own lives. Have you ever thought much about the women who were there through it all? The Bible tells us that there were a group of women who accompanied Jesus all through his ministry and took care of his needs and they stuck around until the very end. They were there for it all.
Imagine how they felt to see their gentle teacher, son, healer and leader suffer as he did. Confusion, pain, grief, fear. What do we do with all those feelings ourselves? Good Friday is a chance to remember that our Creator also suffered. We have a God who understands.
If you would like to hear that old story from the perspective of those women, on Good Friday there will be a chance to identify with how these sisters of faith experienced the cross. Many churches in Quesnel will be gathering to remember Good Friday together. Part of that will be a drama called the Sisters of the Cross. Sit with these women and hear their stories and how Jesus affected their lives. Hope you can join us at Northstar Church on April 18 at 11 am.
Shannon Bell-Wyminga is a pastor with Cariboo Presbyterian Church in Ndazkoh.