Good Friday

It is weird to use the term Good for an execution, and I understand many will lean into the substition theory for what happens today in our journey. We see the betrayal, the denials (loss of connection, community abandonment): https://www.bible.com/bible/3633/JHN.18.FNVNT

Creator Sets Free, dared to challenge the Empire, the controlling powers that of political and religious might and oppression and control. Pontius Pilate and the false installed leaders…hmmm… any analogy to Alberta or America in this set up possibly?

Think it through to this moment though. Hundreds of crucified were hung on the roads into Jerusalem to remind the non-people the wage of speaking out of their caste, (do we not jail or ticket the poor in our own cities instead of solving the issue, UBI anyone?)? What is the rising death toll of drug poisonings but not road side crucifixions because we refuse to live as created? What is the rising use of MAiD for loneliness and poverty but us creating other caste’s of non-persons? We have our own road of crucified this week in Alberta and are ignoring, just as those aligned with Empire easily could walk in and tsk tsk those that risked, those that sought to only be person (think of the co-morbidity myth that was used for deaths during covid? Because of Wings and Beer my peeps).

A trial, where many fallacies flowed, where Empire deflected their responsibility, and let the appeal to emotion (that being fear and anger)– if this humble labour, that we know isn’t his father’s son, and the one who was betrothed was so unholy he did not stone his betrothed to death for her infidelity or cast her outside to be trafficked (oh my, seeing an arguement from analogy here for how religious families are supposed to treat their 2SLGBTQ+ children, and the constant gossip and attack when they do not cast out?).

The populist rage against the churning change, that which Jesus so radically pushed against in his non-violent protest and actions. Showing radical belonging, created interdendence of the Imageo Dei, and true egalitarian equity.

True Healing

The great sin that had to be silenced for if the masses caught hold, and realized they had been played and rose up against the overstretched minority oppressors—

And so the mock trial.

The playing on fear of being on the crosses.

The populist fuse of hatred lit.

And the mass murderer released to ensure the silencing of Creator Sets Free (imagine being so powerful in simply the use of Hope, that the greatest Empire in the history of the Western World, had to play a political game to execute you?).

The mocking, beating and dehumanizing found in John 1 9as linked above and here to remind:

https://www.bible.com/bible/3633/JHN.19.FNVNT

Processes of torture and humiliation, used to break not necessarily Creator Sets Free spirit, but to ensure his followers would understand it was over and time to go away. How often do we see this happen with movements? Leveraging legalities to ensure compliance and silence (hmmm… Alberta government’s new Trans policies anyone? The anti-human right breaking of encampments? Non-investment in affordable housing? Allowing coal mining which will poison our water? Not understanding or refusing to acknowledge we have damaged creation, that is dominionism is a fallacy, like colonialism, and a sin to be told the truth of and reconciliation work to be done while we still have air to breath and food to eat)…but how often are these tactics used? Reinvigorated in our gamification of war and playing with terms of genocide, yet not holding to account powers in the world and allies for acts of terror and genocide?

Yet this humiliation was meant to do what it did (and the Easter Sunday story shows who was courageous…but we do not know that yet so know reading ahead in this mystery).

And before Creator Sets Free breathed his last, he speaks, most likely gasping, blood burbling in his lungs with water as he was drowning, struggling through pain, dehydrated, most likely soiled himself several times over. Twisted and broken.

And yet, his final plea to the Beloved Disciple:

the much-loved follower of Creator Sets Free (Jesus), was also there with them.

When Creator Sets Free (Jesus) looked down and saw them, he said to his mother, “Honored woman, look to your son.” 27Then he said to his follower, “Look to your mother.”

From that time the follower took Bitter Tears (Mary) into his family and cared for her.

On this Friday, what does this request and calling mean to you?