Some have expressed shock and indignation that such an action against the listeners and against the program staff should be enacted during Holy Week.
Really, though, what more appropriate timing could there be? After all, did the Lord Jesus not promise that those who follow Him will be treated in like manner as He was treated? What is more, is not Holy Week a time of impending darkness? Is not Holy Week not the time in the Church Year where we celebrate the darkness that the Lord Jesus faced on our behalf? Is this not the season of impending darkness that reaches its darkest on Good Friday, when the Sin and Evil of the world and the prince of darkness come against the Light of the world and work their worst against Him? Was this week not a time of confusion for those who looked to Jesus? Was this not the time that led to Judas betraying Jesus into the hands of evil men for reasons of “programming and business”? Was this not a time that led to the scattering of the sheep and to Peter’s trinitarian denial of the Lord? Was this not a time that led to the sense of the loss of all hope according to human reason and strength?
When times grow dark and appear to be growing darker, this is when we need to remember the promise of the Scriptures regarding our good and gracious God.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. . . . (Rom 8:28)
It is important that we never forget the source of our light and our hope. It also is important that when we recognize the source of darkness that we do not continue to bind ourselves to the darkness. When we recognize a way that leads to more darkness, the Lord calls us to come to the Light. While Jesus marched to the cross, darkness surrounded Him and His disciples. But the Light continued to shine in the darkness. The Gospel was most certainly not being vanquished, not even at the darkest hour of Good Friday. In fact, this was the Light’s brightest manifestation, which continues to fill the world with the light of life even today.
So, then, whenever the darkness seems deepest, this is when we may look to the body of Jesus and see that He is the one who has taken the darkness upon Himself for us. The dark hours of our life can serve to draw us into ever deeper dependence upon the glorious preaching of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. So when the Lord brings us into a trial that seems especially dark, rather than sinking into despair or grief, we are free to rejoice and to sing “Hosanna in the highest!” As we turn to the crucified Lord of glory, we truly see the light that cannot be comprehended or overcome and our hope and our confidence is renewed.
The way of the cross is the way of the resurrection.
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