Mexico is a very religious country. It really shows during “Semana Santa, or “Holy Week”. You can really learn a lot about Mexico’s traditional Roman Catholic beliefs on Good Friday.
Mexico City is the home of the largest re-enactment of the Way of the Cross in the world. For months, people in Iztapalapa prepare for the re-enactment of the Passion of the Christ (click here for the official website in Spanish), and they have done it since 1843.
More than a million people visit the delegation on Good Friday to watch the processional and the crucifixion of Jesus. I heard on the radio today that there were about 800,000 people there when it started. There were probably another 200,000 who showed up by the time the man representing Jesus made it to the hill they use for Golgotha.
One of these days I’ll go and see it first-hand, but this year I just watched it on TV. It was covered all afternoon on local television stations. Here is a little I recorded while watching.
It’s Good Friday, the day when we remember Christ’s suffering and death on the cross. Here are some of my thoughts on what the cross means to me.
Demonstration of ultimate sacrifice: (Philippians 2:1-8) If the King of Heaven and Earth could sacrifice that much, I ought to be able to sacrifice myself for the lives of others. I ought to pour myself out in service to others as Christ did for me. What must I do to sacrifice for others?
Expression of incomparable love: (John 15:13) Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. God loved me enough to send Jesus to die for me; I ought to be able to love others even if I don’t agree with them, and even when they hate me. What can I do to express love for others in every moment?
Complete forgiveness of sins: (Matthew 6:12, 14; Luke 23:34) Jesus forgives completely. It’s not a partial forgiveness, and I must forgive others. In my life, what must I do to forgive others? How can I forgive others?
Undeserved gift – keeps me humble (Galatians 6:14) – I cannot boast about anything because I have done nothing to deserve what God has given me. I have failed in every attempt to please God. It is only because of His love and the cross that I can do anything. What must I do look beyond what others “deserve” to be more like Jesus?
Example of total surrender: (John 3:16) “In our surrender, we must give ourselves to God in the same way He gave Himself for us – totally, unconditionally, and without reservation” (Chambers, March 13). God’s surrender is an example to me of what my surrender to Him should be. How can I surrender myself more to the One who surrendered Himself completely for me?
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