Oblivious to the Cross

In Lewistown today, Good Friday, the churches joined in an observance of the Stations of the Cross in prayer and action. Beginning with the traditional devotion in Sacred Heart RC Church, we moved to the streets to give witness to the story of the Passion of Christ. As we carried a large and heavy wooden cross through the town, some took notice, but I couldn't help but be impressed by the noise of traffic moving quickly by . . . by the number of motorists who were visibly disturbed when the procession help up traffic . . .  by the level of oblivion concerning the the story that was being told. It reminded me that it was probably just this way that first Good Friday. We tend to romanticize and embellish the story because t is so dear to us. Odds are, since crucifixion was a common thing in the residents of Jerusalem, those on the first via dolorosa probably took no notice of yet another criminal being marched to his death outside the city precincts. It was Friday, the preparation day, and Sabbath was to start at sundown. There was too much to do to take much note. If it were Lewistown in the 21st century rather than Jerusalem in the first, not much would have changed from our experience today . . . business and commerce would be carried on as usual. Some may note the moving crowd of fifty or so and the cross, but not enough to stop or to join in. Some will curse the apparent folly of what was happening and others mock. No, nothing much was different today from that first Good Friday and we should take heart from that fact. Even though Jesus of Nazareth went to his death probably little noticed by the general populace, the kingdom he came to preach took root deep in the hearts of his disciples and has outlasted any transaction taking place that fateful spring afternoon. Two millenia later, we still remember and the power of his life continues to grow in the hearts of those who would follow. Christendom as we knew it, no longer holds sway. All the better, for now we might be able to get down to the real business of the kingdom.