Pain Has No Mystery

Before Good Friday, Jesus had one last meal with his disciples; it could be argued that he could have spent his time doing other things. He could have fled, knowing the tragedy that he was about to experience. He didn’t. Instead, he spent his remaining hours with those he cared about. The sadness of Good Friday is compounded by the abandonment Jesus must have felt as his disciples scattered, leaving him to face the worst humanity has to offer alone.

As we reflect on these moments, it's clear that people have a hard time connecting the dots between the miracles. I often do. We’d all love to see and experience them, but they are difficult to grasp. Pain is the complete opposite; there is no mystery to pain; we all feel it. In this way, Good Friday becomes the place where life and faith intersect. The ambiguity, and all we can’t comprehend about God, connects directly with the painful realities of suffering, betrayal, isolation, and fear. God experienced humanity's pain and did not leave.

While he was abandoned, he did not flee those he loved. If you are hurt or you are enduring your worst day, you are not alone.