Remembering HIM

Today, I am not sharing any of the sermon, but rather, let's look at the coming important events that going to take place -- Good Friday.

Not many are remembered for very long after their time. But one man, who many believe walked among us, has been remembered in death for over 2000 years. Come 6th of April, on Good Friday, the Christian world will once again gather to commemorate the trail and execution of the One who began one of the world's most influential and wide-spread faith. His name is Jesus.

Good Friday, which observes the crucifion of Jesus at Calvary, is part of what is commonly know as the Holy Week in the Christian faith, beginning with Palm Sunday and ending with Easter Monday. Services held in churches relive the life and legacy of Jesus Christ and reflect on His final days.

Despite the tragedy of His death, Christians believe in the greatest of the sacrifice which Christ made, and the spirtual redemption that resulted, and hence refer to it as "good" Friday. In some parts of the world, however, it is known as Mourning Friday, Sad Friday or Holy Friday amongst other references.

Good Friday practices vary among the denominations of the Christian faith. Fundamentally, however, they serve to remind believers of the sanctity of the day. Common practices include abstinence from food, especially meat, and alcohol. In some customs, families do not leave home except to go to church.

Traditions can be extreme. In the San Fernando and Pampanga communities of the Philippines, for example, Good Friday processions include devotees who self-flagellate and sometimes even have themselves nailed to the crosses as expression of penance.

In Singapore, congregations are reminded of the divinity of Christ's death and the importance of the cross as a symbol of their faith. In Catholic churches, the receiving of the Holy Communion is especiallu significant, in its physical representation of the body and blood of Christ; that which He sacrificed for Man's sins.

The solemnity of His death is followed by the celebration of His resurrection on Easter Sunday, a momentous event where churches are filled with hymns singing God's praise as parishioners feast to commemorate the day. Some even organise activites and bazaars to evliven the festive mood.

A popular tradition associated with Easter is the distribution of Easter eggs. Although the tradition started off with chicken eggs painted in red, today, chocolate shaped as eggs or plastic eggs filled with candy are more commonly seen.

But above the rituals, it is the word of the Bible and the promose of Christ which resound greatest among Christians. As the Book of Matthew reads from Charpter 28, verse 10 to 20:

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Ans surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

These are words that not only beget a religion, but are words which still stand as a pillar of strength for the faithful.

I, as a Christian, will definitely nothing got to stop me from wanting to unravel the customs and traditions behind Good Friday. Although I have not covered other intricacies surrounding Good Friday, I hope that this short introduction will serve to enlighten the many who until now only saw Good Friday as just another public holiday.

Before I end, did you know that the tradition of handing out coloured eggs during Easter is commonly believed to have originated from a visit Mary Magdalene paid to the Emperor of Rome after the Ressurrection of Christ, where she proclaimed the famous words "Christ is risen!" Before preaching Christianity to him, she brought him a chicken egg painted in red. The egg symbolized the world while the colour red symbolized the blood of Christ, thus together signifying the sacrifice Christ made for the world - to redeem all from enternal damnation by shedding His own blood.