Today is Good Friday, which for Christians is a really big deal. There will be Stations of the Cross, church services in which congregants kiss crucifixes and other solemn events.

The most memorable Good Friday I can remember was at the old LaSallette Shrine in Ipswich, MA when I was a teenager. They would take a huge (emphasis on big) wooden cross and lay it in front of the altar. You could then come up and venerate it however you wanted.

Some would kiss the cross.

Others would lay a hand on it.

The point was this: Good Friday and the historical fact that Jesus died on this day way back in history, affects each of us in a different way. Some are able to embrace it. Others are repelled by it. Whichever, it has some impact still to this day.

Imagine the darkest day of your life, years from now, being called "good". Lance Armstrong to this day praises the fact that he got testicular cancer. St. John of the Cross was imprisoned and emerged stronger as a result. Stephanie Nielson's tragic accident, resulting in burns on 80% of her body has been used as a catalyst for other burn victims to press on and stick with living.

Sometimes tragic turns out to be good.

What in your personality do you dislike or find hard to deal with? Are you shy but wish you were outgoing? Are you short and wish you were tall? Fat and wish you were thin? Compulsive and wish you were disciplined?

Let's pray today in gratitude for the Cross of Jesus. It really happened and still applies to us today- whatever you dislike in yourself can also become good over time and with God's transforming grace.