Good Friday: What Have You Done?

What have you done? My God, what have you done?

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved over churning chaos. And God said, the Word spoke, “Let there be light,” and there was light. What have you done?

Have you nothing to say for yourself? You shouted “Crucify Him,” I heard you. I heard you, you shouted “Crucify Him.” And you are witness against yourself, for there you stand with your hammer and handful of bloody nails. Don’t bother with your excuses and crocodile tears; and nevermind pointing at the government, Pilate; or at Caiaphas and church authorities, the guilt is on you. For all your boasting and promises you denied him when he most needed you. You betrayed him, the money is in your pocket. You stood safely by in the courtyard as he was condemned. What have you done? Perhaps it would have been better for you, had you never been born.

I heard you. I saw you. And so did He, the messenger, the Angel, the same Angel who spoke to the Boy’s mother that day so long ago, the Angel was here, and witnessed your perfidy, your treachery. The messenger saw you. What have you done? The Angel has already left to carry the message of what you have done -- to report this atrocity to the Boy’s Father. When He hears the news, you may find that you yourself are responsible for bringing about the end of Time. What have you done? The Boy was condemned and crucified, and you watched. You jeered and taunted him in his agony, watched and laughed as he died.

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The Boy was crucified. The Angel told the story, gave his report as briefly as possible to the One on the Throne. And then he waited. Waited. Waited.

It looked as if the Boy’s Father had stopped breathing. He did not move or speak.

And then he closed his eyes.

The Angel was uneasy. Frightened. Why this unearthly gathering of fury? Of all the untold suffering on earth throughout the ages of ages, why was this death so special?

And then the Father spoke, as though reading his thoughts. “Why so special? Perhaps because I am lonely and the Boy loved me more than life itself. Perhaps because I am older than Time, and sick at heart of man’s inhumanity to God and each other. Perhaps because this time they have gone too far.”

He spoke more deliberately now. “Why so special? Perhaps only because I say so.”

Somewhere in what human beings call time and space a temple curtain tore in half from top to bottom, the Spirit of Holiness fled in outrage, and a sanctuary went dark forever.

“This people’s hearts have grown hard. Their ears do not hear, and their eyes do not see, and they have turned away from my love.”

And on the Throne, the Boy’s Father began to sob, hideously scream, and shake.

What have you done?

Terrified and banished, the Angel vanished from his presence, into the darkness. What have you done? What have you wrought? 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word was in the beginning with God. All things were made through the Word, and without the Word nothing was made that was made. In the Word was life, and the life was the Light of all people. And the Light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not. Comprehendeth it not.

The Word was the true Light, which lighteth everyone who comes into the world. The Word was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. Knew him not.

... The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us ... came unto his own, and his own received him not. Received him not.

So long as the Word speaks, you have your being, and creation it’s being.

But the Boy was crucified. The Word has died on the Cross, what have you done? Have you nothing to say for yourself? What have you done to the Word of the Creating God? To the beloved Son of the Father? This time you have gone too far. Pray. Pray. 

Pray.

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

Bless the Lord, who forgives all our sins: his mercy endures forever? Not.

Not this time. There is no Absolution, for the Word Himself is silent, and only the Word speaks. What have you done? Can’t you hear? Don’t you see? Do you still not understand?

What you have done this time,

set at naught and sold him,

pierced and nailed him to the tree,

not even the Father will or can forgive,

nor the Spirit --

only the Son, the Boy, the Word.

But the Boy was crucified: the Word is silent. 

The Word from the tomb is silence.

The Spirit does not move.

And darkness has returned to the face of the earth, 

shaken by the trembling rage of God the Father.

What have you done?

Homily on Good Friday, HNEC 32401 20150403. The Reverend Tom Weller (Retired) With grateful thanks and all credit to the late Rev. Martin Bell, quoted and lifted extensively from his astonishing book Nenshu and the Tiger. Seabury, 1981, pp. 9-11.