I imagine that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was doing a lot of praying as she followed Jesus to Golgotha - the place of the Skull. As a woman of deep faith, she must have been struggling to make sense of everything that was happening to her son. What follows are Mary's inner prayers and thoughts as she stands at the foot of the cross:

Lord, how could you let this happen? Don't you see how he is suffering - what they are doing to him? I can't even bear to watch, he is in such pain. Is he your Son, Lord, or isn't he? The angels at his birth. The promises that he would be given the throne of his ancestor David. The predictions that he would save his people from their sins. Surely you couldn't have meant like this, Lord! Giving his life as a ransom for many. Is this what he meant?

Lord, I don't think he can take much more. Won't you save him, Lord, and vindicate him? Won't you show them how innocent he is? He doesn't deserve this, Lord. You know that better than anybody. All he did was tell the truth and heal people. Why should he have to suffer like a common criminal? Why should anybody have to suffer like that!

Lord, he is in your hands. You're the only one who can do anything now. Save him, Lord! Rescue him from this pain.

Jesus, don't try to talk anymore. It is such an effort for you. Lord, don't you see how even now he only cares about us? He is so selfless, Lord. He always gave of himself. He's continuing to do it, even now. Jesus, I don't want to see you go, but something has to happen to release you from this suffering. Lord, aren't you going to rescue him? Aren't you going to show everybody that he really is your Son?

...And now, he has died - he has breathed his last. It doesn't look like there's going to be any rescue today. Lord, this must be one of the darkest days in all of history. I have never seen so much evil and such fury, all directed against one man. He didn't deserve to be abandoned by most of his disciples. He didn't deserve the torture they put upon him. He didn't deserve the unspeakable suffering and indignity of the cross.

Lord, how are you going to make good on your promises now? Did those promises really come from you, or was I imagining things? How is he going to save his people from their sins now? How is he going to have the throne of his ancestor David? How is anybody going to know that he was your Son? How can this possibly be what you had in mind, Lord? How will anybody learn about you, now that he's gone?

Lord, you have left me with only darkness, pain and sorrow. Show me the way through these terrible times. Show me that you are there, and that you have not forgotten your people. Show me that your promises were not all in vain. Amen.

Good Friday John 19:16-37
April 14, 2006
St. Luke's Zion Lutheran Church
Pastor Lynne Hutchison Moore
? 2006 Lynne Hutchison Moore All Rights Reserved