John 19:38-42 (Good Friday)

They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen
cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews…And so, because
it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they
laid Jesus there. (19:40, 42)

Throughout my adult life as a Christian I have cherished my
friendships with skeptics, whether they call themselves agnostics or
atheists. One such friend, who was jolly except when talking about
God and the problem of evil, referred to this holy day as Bad Friday.
While his word choices troubled me, I respected that they reflected
what he really thought: That Christians glorify the savage death
of Jesus as a good thing—a response my friend decidedly did not
consider a good thing.

I, too, would call this day Bad Friday if I thought the burial recorded
at John 19:38-42 were the end of the story. While they are not the
conclusion, the death and burial of Jesus mark the turning point of
salvation history. Behold the holy Lamb, provided by God, who takes
away the sins of the world.

—Douglas LeBlanc