Good Friday People - Dark Night

Following the Shiela Cassidy’s chapter on the last supper, she now guides we the readers towards the Dark Night on the Mount of Olives and Gethsemane.  Of this she focuses on the words of Jesus, “My Soul id sorrowful to the point of death” and how he continues by telling the disciples to stay were they are and keep awake as he moved away from them and threw himself on the ground to pray.

On reading this my mind went the over 100,000 people spending so many dark nights where even sleep evades them. This terrible night is perhaps one of the most precious accounts we have of Jesus for it reveals Jim to us in all his humanity. She continues, Good Friday people are no strangers to fear. They learn to live with it, to thumb their noses at it and also confront it face to face in the dark nourish of the night when they are alone

Through darkened night I glimpse, I peer

As down the road I tread with fear.

Yet there I see him onward  walk

Midst rumour’s, hate and shameful talk. 

His life into their hands he’ll place

And onto judgement’s hall to face 

A trumped up charge, A pointless trial

Where witness false, the truth defiles.

On, on ‘long pathway t’wards the cross, 

He kneels and prays, no thought the cost

Of anguished mind, of heart’s deep pain

As body soul, each  sinew  strains.

Lord, as I view that darkened night

Help me to see once more your light.

Shine through the gloom of my dark soul

And through it’s rays, your grace behold.

Renew my will, strengthen my mind,

Transform my thoughts by your design.

That when I face my dark-night’s road

With you can, face gloom’s frightful load.

Prayer

Lord of Creation 

moulder of our fragile clay,

Shape us in your image.

Spin us round, if you must 

until we’re dizzy;

Hollow us out, if you must, 

until we are empty 

of all that is false and useless.

Fill us daily with living water 

that we may carry your 

life to a world dying of thirst.

Lord, 

help us watch 

with our Ukrainian Sisters and Brother’s 

in the dark night of their souls and pray, 

Father not my will but yours be done. Amen