Within the Christian calendar, there is no day more significant than Good Friday. On this day we remember the unfathomable sacrifice of our Lord, who willingly laid down His life to bridge the chasm between man and God created by sin.
As a Christian, I join millions of South Africans in quiet contemplation of the crucifixion. I consider the agony of the cross and the love which held Christ there. I consider the utter devastation of His followers, bereft for the one they had come to understand as the Son of God. I consider their confusion in that moment, for He was yet to show them the greatest mystery of the resurrection.
It reminds me of the fear and sorrow and confusion in which so many of us live today, regardless of our faiths or religious convictions. We often live like people without hope, as though our greatest hope had been taken from us. In many cases, that is understandable, in the face of unimaginable hardship.
Throughout the world, there are millions facing poverty, unemployment, abuse, violence, a dread diagnosis, grief, mental illness, disability, a sudden loss of income, war, famine, discrimination. There are hardships in this world that make it patently clear that we cannot save ourselves. Without a saviour, we are utterly without hope.
As we mark Good Friday, therefore, I call on all Christians to remember our Saviour and to renew our hope. In the spirit of this day, I call on all South Africans to extend a helping hand to those around them, knowing that everyone needs help to feel hope in these trying times. With every act of kindness, generosity and assistance, we become restorers of hope.
In whatever way we spend Good Friday, let us be responsible. It is a terrible tragedy that the Easter weekend has become known for so many road accidents and unnecessary deaths. I urge you to travel safely and to spend this time with loved ones in a responsible manner. May Good Friday 2024 be a time of peace, fellowship and the restoring of hope.
