On Good Friday my wife and children and I said a prayer and then watched the Passion. I had not seen it before, so it was especially meaningful for me. I have often wondered why a movie depicting the last twenty four hours of Jesus life in the gruesome reality had not been made. Well, Mel did a spectacular job on this one. It made me really want to join my wife in her next Good Friday ritual.
I accompanied my wife to the tattoo parlour for her latest tat. I had purchased a gift certificate for her as a Christmas present and she chose that Good Friday to get her work done. She had Emmanuel in Greek tattooed down her spine. After watching the Passion, I had the desire to get one too. It just seemed right to me to have a permenant reminder of Gods sacrifice that day.
Raquel had planned hers for over a year, and I recomend this for anyone planning a tat, I mean it will be there even after you are dead, you better make sure. She wanted to have a symbol of God's words to her during a time of trial and strife. While seeing some of the pain of a grandmother looking for help taking care of her grand daughter, and finding the authorities not too helpful, Raquel sensed God's voice telling her, "my church needs to put Jesus back in the world". Emmanuel means God with us. And if we are truly the body of Christ that is what we are.
After watching the movie I wanted a reminder that God calls us to pick up our own cross, and follow Jesus. I got the letters D X F tattooed on my right wrist.
D deny yourself
X the cross, pick yours up
F follow Jesus
So on this holy week we remembered, we bled, and we have a scar.
The thing I like about symbols is people always ask what they mean. As they do with words in another language. I get to share some of my life, and my belief with others, and this I do enjoy.
May God bless you this season.
the rev
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