Today is commonly called Good Friday. What does the “Good” in Good Friday really mean? Sacrifice? Love?

Today’s reflection explores a different way of understanding Good Friday, not as payment, but as connection.

The Goodness of Good Friday

The Christian Church calls today “Good Friday.” The word “Good” comes from an old English term meaning “Holy.”

There are two ways of understanding “Holy Friday”—the Friday before Easter. Some Christians see it as a “Holy” day to give thanks for the sacrifice that Jesus, “God’s Son,” made so that we, who repent of our mistakes and sins, can be forgiven by God. Consequently, they use the term “Good” Friday. This understanding sees Jesus’ sacrifice as a payment necessary to change God’s mind about loving us.

Others, myself included, have a different interpretation.

I believe the idea of a God of judgment, who required the torture and death of his son, Jesus, in order to forgive and love the rest of us, does not reflect a loving Creator—the same Creator who looked at all of creation and said, “It is good.” I therefore offer you my understanding of “Good Friday,” along with the reminder that I am not alone. Many Christians would describe the goodness of Good Friday as follows.

First, “Holy Friday” symbolizes God—the Creator—being “at one” with human beings. It speaks not of payment, but of relationship—God’s ability to be at one with us. I believe that Jesus was more than God’s Son: all humans are God’s children, sons and daughters of our loving Creator. Jesus was God with us, both human and divine. I have faith that, God in Jesus chose to endure personally the worst that we humans could do. We humans tortured, shamed, assaulted and executed Jesus by crucifixion. This was the Jesus who said, “Whatsoever you do to the least of these, my brothers and sisters, that you do unto me.” We are thus accomplices to the atrocity he suffered, even though we claim we were not there. I believe God wanted to show us that nothing—nothing we do or anyone else does—would ever separate us from God’s love.

“Holy Friday” is “Good” because God, in Jesus, chose to love us beyond comfort, beyond suffering, beyond life itself. God, in Jesus, suffered and died as we humans suffer and die.

The difference is this: the power of love is stronger than the power of violence, destruction, cruelty—and even death.

The “Good” in Good Friday symbolizes God’s love.

I also believe that God lives within each one of us. A spark of God’s love is born within us. We can nurture that spark as we grow and mature, or not—but nothing, absolutely nothing we choose to do or think, and nothing anyone else can do, will defeat God’s love within us.

If you go to worship today and hear again the story of Jesus’ suffering and death, give thanks to God for loving us so deeply—for a love that suffers with us in our pain and our grief.

And remember—you know the end of the story.

God will not, and cannot, ever be defeated.

God will love you always and forever.

Thanks be to God.

If you find this helpful please share.