We use the word good for all sorts of things and reasons. It must be on a list somewhere of ‘the most often used nouns’. Within the word, however is a meaning, that although it’s right there before us in the four letters, it usually eludes us.
The original meaning of ‘good’, an adjective, was similar in meaning to the word ‘holy’. ‘Good’ is a drawn out spelling, (which is used to indicate its adjective status), for the word ‘God’. When you wish someone ‘good day’, its original meaning meant to wish a ‘God infused’ day. It would be closely the equivalent today of wishing someone to have a ‘holy’ day, which you probably don’t hear too often. A ‘good’ thing used to mean, then, a ‘holy’ thing, which once again, is seldom said about many things.
It’s a cheery sounding word and sounds excellent in songs, especially when the ‘oo’ is drawn out a bit in timing. The beauty of its sound is perhaps one of the reasons that the word, historically, began being used in more and more situations, resulting in a weakened sense of its true meaning.
Good Friday is one of the most ‘holy’ days in the Christian liturgical year. Often I’ve winced when hearing an explanation or seeing a roadside sign that misinterprets this word, and makes this day something for us all to simply celebrate as a day off work, or a time to forget reconciliations that we personally could bring about to important issues, if we simply did or said something to help.
‘Holy Friday’ is what this Friday is still referred to in many translations and traditions.
The church where we attended, where I was at from ages 4 to 17 was ‘Hopedale’, in Oakville. It was considered quite ‘liberal’ for its time, with petitioning for women’s right to ordination in the 1960s (within Presbyterian churches in Canada) , holding ecumenical services with other denominations, and championing human rights issues. Good Friday was always a day we were asked to take quite seriously, reflecting on what each of us were doing with our lives that contributed to the suffering and even the deaths of others in the world. As Christians, we’re supposed to look for ‘the Christ’ in all we meet or with whom our lives are connected to. If we are contributing to suffering for others, we were reminded that we were also doing that (as in biblical times) to Christ once again, in our present time.
I still tend to hold this thought often on Good Fridays, and at other times as well. For example, ‘Under what conditions is the shirt I’m wearing manufactured?’, or ‘Is their slave labour involved in the production of the sugar for this product?’, or ‘Is this a responsible use of plastic in this product that I’m about to purchase? or ‘What are those implications with regards to the environment in its use for this item I’m about to purchase or use?’ .
It can be a bit overwhelming with sort of introspection at times, and it might seem that there’s little use in pointing fingers, when it’s so difficult to feel like you’re getting on top of these considerations within your own lifestyle. Still, we must try, for an unexamined life is probably not a full one in any sense of the word. It certainly wouldn’t be termed a ‘good’ one.
Good Friday Services differ from regular Sunday Services in significant ways, for example with there always being certain questions asked of us to consider, most of them involving reflections on ‘why’.
The Service this year at Siloam is virtual, and Thaesha and Keirah, from our family are included with the individual singers. No stranger to the Buckleys, whose beautiful voice you’ll also hear, is Imogen Wasse, who also sings in our eldest son Lliam’s band, ‘Esther’s Family’.
If you are jumping ahead to our two singing ‘Pieta’, it came be found at 17:44 in the Service.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/530417719