May we place at his feet all that we are

On that very first Good Friday, two thousand years ago, the day that our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, a cruel and horrible death, he gave his all for us. He was willing to suffer that hideous death for us! For you and for me.

“He opened wide his arms for us on the cross” are words (from Eucharistic Prayer B, Common Worship) that always paint a powerful picture for me. They remind me of the sacrifice that Jesus made of himself for our sake, for my sake.

We often seem to talk of the Son as being almost separate from the Father, two beings. But, perhaps especially on Good Friday, we should remind ourselves that they’re actually all a part of the same God, with the Holy Spirit. And, whatever the reasons behind the crucifixion, whatever the theology, it was God himself on that cross; it was God himself, in his human form, who sacrificed himself on the cross for us, for me, that’s how much he loves each of us!

Jesus did so much for us — loves us so much that he was willing to do what he did for us — shouldn’t we, at least, give ourselves back to him. He doesn’t ask us to make the same sacrifice for him that he made for us, but he does want us to let him into our lives. And the place we do that, on Good Friday especially, is at the foot of the cross.

All that I am I place at your feet Lord Jesus. Take me, and use me, to do your work, in whatever way pleases you. Your gift to me was your life on the cross, my gift to you is my life. Amen.

Eternal God,
in the cross of Jesus
we see the cost of our sin
and the depth of your love:
in humble hope and fear
may we place at his feet
all that we have and all that we are,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Additional Collect for Good Friday
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council