Good Friday, April 10

“They will look on the one whom they have pierced.” John 19:38

Crucifixion is about the most inhumane way to execute a person, if execution is humane at all. There are several ancient, as well as modern traditions, in the Christian Church which focus dramatically on the wounds of Jesus and attempt to re-enact them, as if somehow by repetition we can make the original crucifixion more powerful, more effective. These folk are groping for the power and the mystery of the pierced Jesus.

Of course we do recognize the brokenness of Jesus in the breaking of the bread at every Lord’s Supper. We say, “This is my body, broken for you, do this in remembrance of me.” We eat the broken bread to symbolize that the broken and pierced body of Christ is transformative for us. In some of the resurrection narratives the disciples are bidden to touch the wounds of Jesus and be transformed

There is great theological and artistic interest in the wounds of Jesus, from St. Paul to Michelangelo’s Pieta. But a core Christian affirmation is that the wounds were enough. Neither Jesus nor we have to be re-wounded in order to satisfy some sort of cosmic, political or personal transaction. One crucifixion is enough. No more bloodshed is needed. In Christ’s death the war is over. Christ’s wounds are sufficient to overcome all hurt, pain and evil. The strange paradox is that we can look at the wounds of Jesus and our political, personal and cosmic wounds can be healed.

This is why we remember his wounds again, today.


Holy God, we present our wounded selves before you this day: wounded by disease, social circumstances, environmental conditions, love relationships and doubts about the future. We look for healing and wholeness. Keep us, O God, from further wounding ourselves, others and the natural environment. May we somehow understand that you were "wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, and by your stripes we are healed." Amen

Rod Frohman, Associate Pastor for Church and Society