There is an old saying that it’s “always darkest before the dawn”.  People often say this when trying to give someone courage when going through a difficult time. But Good Friday is truly is the real darkness before the dawn.

Christ’s crucifixion is the darkest moment in our shameful, fallen, human history. All the ugliest traits of human nature are on display in the events that led up to Our Lord’s crucifixion. Sadistic violence, the powerful callously dispensing of the powerless, greed, fear, jealousy, hatred. All the the very worst behaviours us humans have come up with in our fallen nature were poured out viciously on the most blameless of all. This is true darkness.

The darkness of our hearts was even portended in the skies during Our Lord’s crucifixion, as the Bible tells us darkness fell over the land from noon until three (Luke 23:44).

All of the darkness of our souls, all the nasty and ugly things we’ve done in secret, all the hate, violence, and sin of all of human history was poured onto Christ on the Cross.

It was truly the darkest moment in all time.

But it was the darkness before the dawn. On Good Friday, Our Lord took all darkness on Himself, and by His rising created a new dawn for all people on Easter. By His Cross, all the darkness of all time was destroyed by Christ, Who is the Light of the World. 

Ryan G. Scheel is the founder of uCatholic.

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4 COMMENTS

  1. Thank you Lord for taking away all the darkness of my soul and giving me your light to redeem me. Father I pray you, give me the grace to be fastened unto you and never let me go. I love you.

  2. I really liked your reflection. Sometimes we sin and don’t even realize, like sometimes we put ourselves before the needs of others or forgetting to thank God for what we have and accepting any mishap that may come our way. May God keep my family especially my children in the good road that leads to Him and whenever they have a problem they should turn to God for help. Amen.

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