Good Friday is a significant day for Christians worldwide, set aside to commemorate the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary, which symbolises the triumph of life over death. It is observed annually as the day when the passion and death of Christ for mankind’s salvation are remembered.
Although Christ’s crucifixion took place on Good Friday, the day is termed ‘good’ because of the profound significance of His death in redeeming the world.
For Christians, it marks the anniversary of redemption, a moment of deep spiritual meaning not just for Christians, but for all humanity, as Christ died for everyone.
As a day dedicated to remembering the Lord’s crucifixion, Good Friday is linked to the events of the Jewish Passover, and the commemoration of Jesus Christ’s death is an integral part of the Paschal Mystery, dating back to this period.
Good Friday forms part of the forty-day penitential season known as Lent. For some Christians, Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, when the ashes placed on the forehead serve as a reminder of human mortality with the words, “You are ash, and to ash you will return.”
During Lent, the Church emphasises prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. The final week of Lent, called Holy Week, starts with Palm Sunday, which marks Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem to fulfil His mission of suffering and death.
The last three days of Holy Week, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday, are central to man’s salvation and are collectively known as the Easter Triduum.
Good Friday has a deep connection to Easter, and the entire mystery of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection is referred to as the Paschal Mystery. The cross, central to the theme of Good Friday, is venerated with great reverence on this day. Some Christians also observe the Stations of the Cross, prayers, fasting, almsgiving, and abstain from meat on Good Friday.
Just as the blood of the lamb marked on the Israelites’ doorposts brought them deliverance, Christ, the Paschal Lamb, takes away the sins of the world, offering salvation from the devil through His death.
Good Friday also reflects on the manner of Christ’s death. As He hung on the cross, His pierced side brought forth water and blood, symbols of the sacraments of baptism and the Eucharist, the very foundation of the Church.
Saint Paul wrote to the Romans, acknowledging that those baptised into Christ are baptised into His death. This serves as a reminder to Christians that selfless service to others is essential, as exemplified by Christ’s sacrifice.
Good Friday challenges Christians to recognise the greater merit in giving rather than receiving, following Christ’s example of giving all for humanity’s sake. As Christians reflect on Christ’s passion, they are prompted to reconsider their lives in a world that seeks pleasure at the cost of morality and conscience, asking, “If Jesus, who is God, could suffer, why can’t I?”
Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday mark the conclusion of the Lenten season, a period of 40 days of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, celebrating the hope and renewal of Christ’s resurrection.
