Good Friday
Ernest
Gordon, a U.S. chaplain during World War II, tells the story about an event
that transpired while he was incarcerated in a Japanese Prisoner of War
Camp. The P.O.W.'s were pressed into
work constructing a railroad and at the end of each day all the tools were
meticulously counted. One particular
day, the Japanese guard declared a shovel was missing. The commander of the detail insisted one of
the P.O.W.s had stolen it, presumably to sell it to one of the local villagers
who were constantly passing through the work site. He insisted the person responsible identify
himself by stepping forward. When no
solder moved, the commander became livid and again demanded to know who had
stolen the shovel. Finally he shouted in
an uncontrollable rage all would die unless the thief came forward. He then raised his rifle to take aim and
there was no doubt he meant what he said.
Just
before the commander was about to pull the trigger on his weapon, a Scottish
soldier stepped forward, stood at attention, and said, “I did it.” Immediately the commander unleashed all of
his fury on the man, bringing his rifle butt crashing down upon the prisoner’s
head. He kicked him repeatedly and beat
him with his fists. The soldier sank to
the ground and did not move. Everyone knew
he was dead but the guard continued to beat his lifeless body until personal
exhaustion forced him to stop.
The
other men in the work detail grimly lifted their comrade’s body and carried it
back to camp. There, the chaplain
conducted a simple, but dignified burial service. Later, the tools were counted again at the
guard house and it was discovered no shovel was missing after all.
The
Scottish soldier who did not deserve to die himself still willingly took upon
himself the pain of a horrible death so that his brethren might be saved. Gordon saw in the death of the soldier
illumination into the death of our Lord, who also took upon himself the painful
punishment for sins which he did not commit so that others might live.
We give
thanks this day that our Lord and friend was willing to pay the penalty for
offenses we committed. There can be no
question his death on the Cross so many years ago atones for our sins. Surely this day leads us to a kind of
introspection to examine and ponder the huge debt he paid on our behalf. The events we heard detailed just moments ago
in the readings from scripture can lead us no other direction.
The
liturgy of the Good Friday service also calls us to ponder an equally important
aspect of this day. In a few moments we
will read the Solemn Collects, some of the most powerful biddings and prayers our
church has to offer.
Pay attention
to the Solemn Collects. They are not a
confession. They are not a hymn of
praise. They are prayers for the holy
Catholic Church, for all nations and peoples of the world, for all who suffer
in body or mind, and for all who have not received the Gospel of Christ. In short, our work of prayer through these
solemn collects continues the work of Christ in this world; a work cut short by
his death on the Cross.
The
liturgy leads us not to lament our sins, but to renew our commitment to Christ’s
mission of compassion. As the collects
come to a close, I will make this bidding,
“Let us commit ourselves to our God and pray for the grace of a
holy life, that with all who have departed this world and died in the peace of
Christ, and those whose faith is known to God alone, we may be accounted worthy
to enter into the fullness of the joy of our Lord, and receive the crown of
life in the day of resurrection.”
When Chaplain
Gordon tells the story of the Scottish soldier, he says, yes, of course the
P.O.W.s were angered by the injustice of his death. But more than this, they were determined and
inspired to struggle and fight for their survival and eventual freedom. They realized the terrible price one man paid
for their lives and committed themselves anew to making sure it was not given
in vain. In the end, his death became
their resolve.
It is
not enough this day to look at the Cross and feel personal remorse. Our Church does not even offer this as a
spiritual direction by providing a confession in today's liturgy. Rather we are told our resolve must be
strengthened by the events we remember today.
We are to rededicate ourselves to the mission and work of Jesus Christ.
