We were sitting in a conference room. The meeting hadn’t started. it was the Thursday before Good Friday. One of my colleagues asked me about doing a task the next day. I stated I was going to be out of the office in observance of Good Friday and would do it on Monday when I returned. That prompted the question “What is Good Friday anyway?”.  My colleague, who happened to be Muslim, was asking something that many probably wonder as well, what is Good Friday and why is it good?

Good Friday is the day, in the Christian tradition, that we remember the betrayal, trails, punishment, crucifixion and burial of Christ. It occurs three days before Easter (the celebration of the resurrection of Christ). The Desiring God blog has a good article that overviews the events of that day as told to us in the New Testament Gospels.

Recalling the tremendous suffering and death of Christ brings feelings of sadness and sorrow. In fact in some countries (Germany for example) the word used for Good Friday means ‘mourning’ or ‘sorrowful’. Not a reason to call the day good.

While the remembrance of those elements can bring sadness, they also foster feelings of thanksgiving. Because of what the death means and what believers receive as a result. In that respect, because of the redemption we gain through Christ’s death, it is good.  A seeming bad thing, His death, resulted in something good for us, redemption.

Various Christian denominations have special services or observances they do on Good Friday as part of the celebration of Holy Week. I encourage you to attend and learn more about why this Friday (and the corresponding Sunday) is so special. I know I will be attending services at my church to celebrate and observe this wonderful event.