President’s Good Friday Reflection
It is a strangely named day, Good Friday. Today is a dark day, we remember what must have been a dreadful death for Jesus and a distressing experience for those closest to him.
How could it be ‘good’ in any way? Yet, as we read the gospel story, focusing on the events in the lead up to Good Friday, we can see that Jesus knew what was coming and embraced it. He knew of the greater good in the midst of a great injustice.
In Matthew chapter 20, Jesus talked to his disciples about what it meant to serve others and pointed to his impending giving of his life for many others as an act of service. Jesus gave his life as an act of love for us. He died on the cross so that we could experience love, grace and forgiveness. In doing this he set an example to those who follow him to be willing to do the same.
As we consider the story of Good Friday, what people or circumstances are we being called to be sacrificial in, to give of ourselves in order that others might experience good?
Rev Dr John Alderdice
President of the Methodist Church in Ireland
Featured in The Irish News on Friday 18th April, 2025