La Pascua

Friday I went to the procession in downtown Quito. Good Friday is a really big deal here, bigger than Easter (which I think perfectly describes the religious attitude here), and they have an enormous parade downtown that lasts 3 to 4 hours.

Thousands gather to watch and participate. There are bands, floats (carried on people's shoulders of the saints and of Mary), people dressed in purple KKK-like costumes (the significance of which I never did figure out), and many walked the streets flagellating themselves with ropes and whips.

I think that was the saddest part for me--these people that think that beating themselves to feel the pain of Christ's torture will elevate them spiritually, make them feel closer to God, be closer to God. And that is not Christianity, it's not the Gospel, it's not Truth.

My Jesus died on Good Friday. He was beaten and abused, forced to carry his cross of shame up the mountain wearing a crown of thorns. My Jesus had his hands and feet pounded into that cross with nails, had people taunting him, teasing him, laughing at him, spitting on him. And My Jesus looked to his Father and said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

My Jesus knew my sins, He knew my faults and my imperfections, and He knew that I was the one doing the taunting, teasing, laughing, and spitting. And He died for me. He gave his life and experienced complete separation from God (Hell itself) so that I would never have to be separated from Him.

He spent three days in the tomb. And on the third day, He was resurrected. Jesus came back to life--He wasn't resuscitated or given some smelling salts...He was dead, and then He was alive. He is alive. And because of that, He has reconciled me to the Father to the highest degree. There is nothing I can do to bring me closer to God, to elevate myself spiritually, to earn or deserve the love of my God. It's done. It is finished. Jesus on the cross in my place. The wrath of the Father on Him, so that His grace may be on me. Mercy is not getting what I deserve (death) and grace is getting what I don't deserve (God), and my Jesus gave me both on the cross.

So I will not be self-flagellating. I won't be a captive to my sin, chained down by shame and guilt. I will not try to earn God's love and approval. I will not seek to experience some spiritual high. I will look at the cross and thank my Jesus that He loved me so much. Thank Him that He died for me, and even more, that He was resurrected. Thank Him that He paid the cost so that I might receive the reward. That is the Truth, the Gospel. That is My Jesus.