Good Friday in a Pandemic

Christians everywhere are figuring out how to have holy week services at home instead of at church. Many of us are alone. Here’s some verses I wrote after my favorite Good Friday hymn “Were you There” (Johnny Cash does a nice version). These lines aren’t hopeful, but they are a record of my faith and feelings as I approach Easter alone in the midst of a global pandemic.

Are You Here

Were you there when they chose profits over people?

Were you there when they

let hotels go empty?

made people sleep in parking lots?

Were you there when they sacrificed the old?

Were you there when they chose the ‘best’ to save?

Were you there when they nailed no coffins shut?

Were you there when they laid them in mass graves?

Sometimes it causes me to tremble

in anger

in sadness

in loneliness

Were you there when they crucified the prisoners?

Were you there when they crucified the children?

Were you there when they crucified my faith?

Were you there when we caused ourselves to tremble?

Were you there? Were you there?

Are you here?

These lines are the result of the world rippling through my experience of holy week this year, but I think they resonate beyond this week and beyond any religion. Blessings of hope, strength and courage to all of you today, this weekend, and always.