The Earth Cries Out: Good Friday
By Rev. Michael Malcom
Today, we enter Good Friday with a reflection on care for God’s Creation. The theme of our Lenten devotional series is “The Earth Cries Out: Reflections, Lamentations, and Prayers for the Injustices to Our Earth and Our Communities.”
Each week contains a short reflection, discussion questions, and a prayer. We hope that you can utilize these devotions with your congregation, friends, and family.
Hebrews 10:16-25:
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with themafter those days, says the Lord:I will put my laws in their hearts,and I will write them on their minds,”17 he also adds,“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.A Call to Persevere19 Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989 . Thomas Nelson: Nashville
Meditation:
An Invitation to Get Involved.
As we observe Good Friday, this text provides for its readers a meaning of the crucifixion of the Christ. This serves as a backdrop for the writer as they inform us that the death of the Christ served as a finished product to experiencing the fullness of the presence of God.
For the author of Hebrews, the cross of the Christ serves as a symbol for Christ once and for all unlocking full access to the Grace of God. We can now commune with God because the Christ is now our constant intercessor. We are provided free access to God because the sacrifice of the Christ now covers us in grace. However, to experience it, you must accept it. Our Hebrews author invites us to experience the covering grace of the Christ.
The writer further invites us to extend this grace to others. Beloved, as you read this there is a recent IPCC report that has said that we are on a path to doing further irreparable damage to our planet. It further explained that our most vulnerable communities will suffer the most. For those of us serving communities experiencing environmental injustice this is already being experienced on a community level.
Communities in South Fulton and Brunswick can attest to the devastation that toxic pollution is doing to their communities. Those living in Uniontown and North Birmingham here in Alabama are experiencing present day assaults on their environments due to fossil fuel production. Black, Brown, Indigenous, and other POC communities experiencing severe energy burdens in the South experience this devastation each time they must decide how to keep their lights on.
The writer of this text tells us that the grace of God is inclusive, and we must extend it. We are invited to be intentional about extending this grace to the other. This is an invitation to get involved. See those that suffer and move to alleviate their suffering. It is an invitation to extend community.
Last, the writer invites us to move in confidence. God's grace is motivating! Our text compels us to move in it. We are reminded throughout the preceding verses that the Christ carried out the will God. We are shown that the sacrifice of the Christ was the will of God. We instructed that we should commit ourselves to the will of God also. So, what is the will of God for us. I believe that Micah 6:8 helps us when it says, “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
Prayer:
Lord, as we move to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly, help us to move confidently knowing that we are all covered in the grace of the Christ.
Reflection Questions:
How have you experienced God's grace?
How are you extending God's grace to others?
How will you get involved? Some ways to get involved with GIPL include:
Start a Green Team in your faith community.
Sign up for advocacy alerts to take action on issues you care about.
About the Author:
The Reverend Michael Malcom is the Executive Director of Alabama Interfaith Power and Light and a licensed and ordained United Church of Christ Minister. Rev Malcom is the former Senior Pastor of Rush Memorial Congregational UCC in Atlanta, GA. He is the founder of The People’s Justice Council which is a 501(c)3 non-profit focusing on environmental justice. Rev Malcom serves as the Environmental Justice Minister for the Southeast Conference of the United Church of Christ. He is currently the co-chair of the Building Power from the Grassroots Action Team with US Climate Action Network, co-facilitator for the International Solidarity Working Group with the National Black Environmental Justice Network, co-chair of the Climate Impacts Working Group with the Kitchen, and a board member for the Southeast Climate and Energy Network.
Rev Malcom’s academic journey began at Beulah Heights University where he graduated in May 2008 with an undergraduate in Biblical Education and Leadership. He was accepted to and began attending The Interdenominational Theological Center where he earned a Master of Divinity Degree in 2011. To help him in the role of a pastor he completed five units of Clinical Pastoral Education at The Atlanta VA Medical Center and AnMed Health Hospital in Anderson, SC. In May of 2016, Rev Malcom graduated from the Terry School of Business MBA program at the University of Georgia. In October of 2017, he completed a post master’s human resource management course at Cornell University. In 2019 he completed the Convergence Leader Project with the Center for Progressive Renewal and the Just Energy Academy with Partnership for Southern Equity.
He considers himself an impassioned environmental justice advocate, fighting against environmental racism and injustice. He's heard, believes, and evangelizes the message of environmental justice. Rev Malcom does this through education and advocacy from a faith-based perspective. He sees environmental justice as the moral obligation to love your neighbor and the solution to the climate crisis. Rev Malcom says, "There can be no environmentalism without environmental justice. If you help the people, you'll heal the planet."