Jesus remember me

A Reflection on Good Friday                                                       All Saints’ Church, Southern Shores, N.C. 

March 29, 2013                                                                                                  Thomas E. Wilson, Rector

As part of the service today we sing, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”  We did not sing, “Were you there when they crucified my Lord”, because we sang it on Palm Sunday.

Good Friday did not have to happen. I don’t believe that Jesus had to die on a cross because of our original sin to satisfy the justice of God by having Jesus pay the cost of accumulated sin. I don’t believe that the loving God requires an innocent victim to be slaughtered as an atonement. I do believe, however, that Good Friday was probably inevitable given the circumstances of corrupt political and religious institutions that used violence to control the thoughts and actions of those who were under their control.  I do believe that, out of cowardice, laziness, or frustration, we tend to go along with evil actions if those actions are presented as being for the greater good. 

What if I was there when they crucified my Lord? If I were part of the crowd that agreed for Jesus to be crucified, I wonder if I would have said things like.

Jesus is a disrupter; he keeps messing things up wanting to change our vision of the world. He wants to tear down the structure of the Temple. Well, yes the Temple authorities and practices are venal but, you know, so many people find this kind of worship helpful. The Temple has been part of the understanding of the people for a thousand years and it does do some good and it is good for the economy with its trickle down effect. What would they have without it? Isn’t it better to leave it alone, “to bear those ills we have than to fly to others we know not of”? 

Jesus does not urge the people to rise up and fight the Roman occupiers and that makes it look like he is not a good patriot. Jesus keeps saying that we are citizens first of the Kingdom of God rather of the nation of our birth, all of us Jews or gentiles, native born or foreigners are connected to each other by having the same heavenly parent. He suggests that the first thing to change is not the outside of the governments but the inside, the heart, the will of the people. He goes on and on about stopping our love affair of violence and trying to get our own advantage over our neighbor.  But come on; governments are easier to change than people.

Jesus wants us to change our economic structure around. He keeps urging us to care for the poor and, while we have nothing against charity for the deserving poor, how about all those people who are getting a free ride? The first thing we need to do is increase efficiency and order and, out of those profits, then charity will get its fair share. That is the trouble with this country - that we have too many prophets giving disruptive message which get in the way of profits. 

Well, of course there is an injustice going on here, but come on, I have a life to lead. What good is it going to do me if I just tick off or go against the popular will. I’m too busy right now and I have to pick and choose my battles.

“Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” Jesus, help me to remember you as I live in my Kingdom so that I might realize where my true allegiance is.