Good Friday, Past and Present

Today commemorates the anniversary of Good Friday, when Jesus Christ hung on the cross, died and was buried -- an ironic twist to call it 'good,' but it's meant just that way -- that we could not hope to reach God without His caring sacrifice.

The traditions of celebrating this earth-changing event have been around for a long time. When I was a kid, people took off work in the late morning to go to services; I remember seeing everyone from businessmen in suits to my dad in greasy working clothes (he was a tractor mechanic) in the pews. Here in Colorado, our church service is at night. If we went to the Catholic church, our day might include a walk through the Stations of the Cross, the steps toward Jesus' crucifixion...or at least a climb up a hill, a strong Hispanic tradition.

The weather is acting very strange. The mountains had a big snowstorm, complete with a huge traffic pileup around Vail...but we didn't get a drop. Today, we have the same intense wind as from yesterday -- but ice-cold. And the sun seems a little subdued, as if a light veil were drawn across it. I can remember very few Good Fridays when the weather didn't seem a bit 'down' or odd, especially in the morning (9 a.m. - noon), the approx. time Jesus hung on the cross.
     Is the earth remembering?