Why is it Good?

**Disclaimer: This piece was written pre-deconstruction of religious beliefs and faith system. Many of these beliefs inform the sentiments of the writing and are not in alignment with my values. As this is a part of my journey and an extensive blog over years, I have chosen not to remove a majority of my posts written on faith. Please as a reader, take this into consideration and take what works for you, leave what does not. I also apologize for any harm my words from this past perspective may cause to any readers.**

"Why is it good?" The words sting every time I hear them. The adjective applied to this particular Friday doesn't jive with a lot of Christians, usually the ones with a view of God as good, loving, forgiving, and merciful - my people! Turns out though, my people tend not to delight in Good Friday.

By now I might have you thinking I missed a word, or had a major typo or something, because no one could possibly delight in Good Friday! My roommates and I had this conversation just the other night. As I was at the sink doing dishes, I heard the fateful words. I explained how when I was younger someone ridiculed me for loving Good Friday. Thankfully, I don't even recall his words, and while I was younger and thinner skinned, I still know he was cruel about it. I went on to explain just the first reason I could think of to love this day.

Believers don't all too often set aside time to acknowledge, deeply, the sacrifice of death in our stead - though an undeserving people - that we may have life. Not to put ourselves back into shame, but to recognize just how great a gift is the grace that Christ would take to the cross to reconcile us to the Father, ushering us into eternal life.

My favorite thing about the crucifixion (yes, that's a real sentence I wrote) was after Jesus gave His last breath, and His spirit left Him, it says "At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom." In Hebrews, the author talks about the High Priest being the only one allowed to go past the curtain into the Most Holy Place, this where the Spirit of the Lord was. The author says that no longer do we have a High Priest who only enters once a year and sacrifices for himself and the people so they he may enter, but we have Jesus, the High Priest of the new covenant with God.

If not for Jesus, I would never be welcomed into the presence of God freely. To me, that is what the tearing of the veil means; all who are in Jesus are welcomed into the presence of God without reservation. In fact, we are expected! God is jealous and longs for us to come to Him. Jesus' sacrificial death is the very proof of that.