Skip to Sunday

I am trying to explain to the new Chinese students why this weekend is so important to the Christian community. It would be easier to explain what a big deal it was if we had any time off from school but strange as it is ...this Christian school does not take any time off neither Friday nor Monday..that is another story in and of itself. So I am trying to explain the darkness of Good Friday and the jubilation of Resurrection Sunday when one of my students says...why not skip Dark Friday and go right to Great Sunday. It would be great to skip to Sunday but without Friday, Sunday would not have its extravagance.
In our reality outside the garden we only see good in contrast to bad. Ever since we chose to walk our own way and live day by day in this broken down going to be redeemed world we only see light in contrast to dark. Not so in the reality to come where there will be no darkness...
I want to skip Friday but to follow Jesus I have to take up that cross daily...I have to carry in my soul to its redemption the mark of Friday; the weight of sin, the crush of pain living in this in- between waiting for redemption world.
We know Grace because we experience judgment. We know Comfort because we taste grief. We know Forgiveness because we sin. We know Peace because we know strife. We know Joy because we know sorrow. We love because we know isolation.
We celebrate Sunday because we suffer through Friday.