Tony Campolo is the man who made this phrase famous. In a classic sermon he tells the story of a white pastor preaching at a predominantly black church and finally catching on to the cultural speak that communicates the great news of Easter.
“It's Friday, but Sunday's a comin'!
It’s Friday, but Sunday’s a comin’. It was Friday, and my Jesus is dead on a tree. But that’s Friday, and Sunday’s a comin’. Friday, Mary’s crying her eyes out, the disciples are running in every direction like sheep without a shepherd. But that’s Friday, and Sunday’s a comin’. Friday, some are looking at the world and saying, “As things have been, so they shall be. You can’t change nothing in this world! You can’t change nothing in this world!” But they didn’t know that it was only Friday, and Sunday’s a comin’. Friday, them forces that oppress the poor and keep people down, them forces that destroy people, the forces in control now, them forces that are gonna rule, they don’t know it’s only Friday, but Sunday’s a comin’. Friday, people are saying, “Darkness is gonna rule the world, sadness is gonna be everywhere,” but they don’t know it’s only Friday, but Sunday’s a comin’. Even though this world is rotten, as it is right now, we know it’s only Friday. But Sunday’s a comin’.”
The message builds to a powerful conclusion when the pastor simply shouts, “It’s Friday!” and the congregation responds, “But Sunday’s comin!’”
Today is Good Friday, a day of reflection and meditation for Christian believers all over the world. I reflect upon Christ to be sure and I am also reflecting upon our condition. It’s Good Friday in Canada the Good and countless children will be sexually or physically abused, scores of people will attempt suicide and a dozen will succeed. Several young adults will be murdered and one hundred unmarried girls under 19 years of age will become pregnant, seventy percent of them opting for abortion. It’s Friday here in the 2010 Olympic host country and several hundred parents will announce to their children that they are divorcing. A staggering number of people will not have a job on Monday. A few thousand people will die, and a few hundred of those will be from some form of cancer. Hundreds of people will be incapacitated by depression and grief and many households will not have enough to eat.
Christians are certain that the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead on Sunday heralds an eternal hope that transforms individual lives. Let the Christian community rejoice on Sunday yet let us all not forget that Friday is presently typical of most Canadian days and the human need for kindness, gentleness, compassion, sympathy, mercy, forgiveness, intervention, assistance, encouragement, protection and affirmation is constant and daily. We can give that.
It is Friday, and Sunday is coming! But so is Monday. And what you and I do to supply human need may turn that Monday into a Sunday of hope for someone.
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