04/03/2026
Darkness fell at noon. Over all the land, the sun refused to shine. On a hill called Golgotha — just outside Jerusalem's ancient walls — the weight of sin pressed down on Jesus as he hung from wooden beams and iron nails. The prophet Isaiah saw it centuries before: "He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces. He was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed." — Isaiah 53:3-5 (NIV)
For three hours, darkness held the land. The earth trembled. The temple veil tore from top to bottom. And then, a voice — steady, resolute, full of love even in agony: "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." — Luke 23:46 (NIV)
It was finished.
Today, those who walk the stones of the Via Dolorosa, who stand in the shadow of Calvary, feel the weight of this sacred ground. Every step echoes with sacrifice, mercy, and an unfathomable love. On this Good Friday, we pause. We remember. But don't forget… Sunday is coming.
