Our Stories
Lenten Prayer Guide: Good Friday
Good Friday
By Della Ganske
Office Manager, Pioneer Camp Alberta
Reflection: Friday, April 2, 2021
Scripture: John 19:30
(Written after the sudden death of a friend of camp.)
The phone rings
A voice says
“He has passed away”
Shock
Disbelief
A world rocked
A community in turmoil
Numbness
Remembering
A community gathering
Sharing what they knew of a stranger who had come into their midst His impact on their lives
Thoughts generated
Conversations held
Stories shared
Tears shed
How to move on?
How to assimilate his existence into ours?
How to assimilate his death into ours?
He wasn’t with us long
Will we be changed by his life?
Will we ponder his words?
Will we be changed by his death?
Will his existence have meaning?
He carried the light
A torch bearer, shining brightly
Coming out of the shadows of a life lived with challenges
Where battles had been fought, lost, reengaged, victories achieved
Always aware they were but one decision away from being turned into defeat again
Human as any of us
Forgetting to be thankful at times Grumbling
Learning how to live in community And then returning to the Father And that sweet spirit shining through Sharing his life
We were touched by his light Will we embrace it?
Will we choose to be changed? Will we make that decision? Or will we not?
Challenged
Will we allow ourselves to hear the whispers of the Lord? Through one who was unassuming
Aware of his addictions, mistakes
His appearance not socially acceptable
His spirit sweet and gentle Will we?
Will I?
How often do we meet a carrier of the light
A fellow brother or sister
Sometimes lovely in appearance, sometimes not We who are the children of God
and respond not to that light?
We who are encouraged, exhorted, taught and commanded to be carriers of the light Will we pause and ponder what the Lord is saying to us through them?
Will we let ourselves be changed?
Will we let the light in?
Will we accept that gift?
Or will we choose to let the light bounce off and away from us
Its brilliance rapidly dimming and diminishing?
Lost to the shadows?
Thinking that we are not the ones who need the light
It is for others….
Deaf
“It is finished….”
Said from the Cross On the darkest of days
“It is finished…”
Said from the Cross
The beginning of a cascading light show throughout all of eternity Embrace the light in all its forms
In all of its versions
In all of its whispers
From all of the carriers
So that our lives may begin anew
So that our lives may have meaning
So that our lives may be enhanced
So that our lives may shine brightly
So that we may carry the light
Thank you, John.
Ponder: Let the words of this poem lead you to as you spend time with Jesus and your own grief and loss.
Related posts
Lenten Prayer Guide: Easter Sunday
Lenten Prayer Guide: Easter Saturday
Lenten Prayer Guide: Holy Thursday
Lenten Prayer Guide: Week 7
Lenten Prayer Guide: Week 6
