Opening My Heart to Change

Holy Week invites believers to journey to the foot of the cross, where the magnitude of Christ’s sacrifice should stir us deeply. Yet, for many, the story of the crucifixion can feel distant, dulled by familiarity or overshadowed by distractions. How do we reignite awe for the Savior’s suffering when our hearts feel indifferent?

The poem Good Friday by Christina Rossetti (1830–94) provides a raw and honest reflection on spiritual apathy, offering a roadmap for returning to heartfelt worship. Through her words, we find both an acknowledgment of our struggles and a remedy to break through the hardness within.

Impassive as a Stone

Rossetti begins with a piercing question:

• Am I a stone, and not a sheep,

• That I can stand, O Christ, beneath Thy cross,

• To number drop by drop Thy blood’s slow loss,

• And yet not weep?

This confession resonates with anyone who has felt cold or unmoved by the profound sorrow of Holy Week. It’s not simply about being distracted it’s the haunting realization that, even when we focus, our hearts may remain unchanged. The poet likens this state to having a "heart of stone" (Ezekiel 36:26), one that stands in stark contrast to the tender responsiveness of a sheep that knows and loves its shepherd.

Standing Among the Weepers

Rossetti offers a remedy by turning our gaze to those who wept at the cross. She draws us into Luke’s Gospel, inviting us to identify with the emotions of others present during Jesus’s passion:

• The Heartbroken Women: These daughters of Jerusalem lamented openly as Jesus carried His cross (Luke 23:27). Their raw grief echoed the injustice of the scene. Can we allow their sorrow to break through our indifference and remind us of the gravity of the crucifixion?

• The Disloyal Friend: Peter’s bitter tears after denying Christ (Luke 22:61–62) reveal the weight of betrayal. Do we see ourselves in Peter’s failure and feel the pain of knowing we, too, have denied Christ through sin?

• The Condemned Criminal: The thief on the cross cried out in desperate hope, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). His plea reflects the anguish of feeling beyond redemption. Can his desperate faith rekindle our gratitude for the grace extended to us?

By meditating on these moments, we begin to empathize with those who witnessed Christ’s suffering. Their grief, guilt, and hope can reawaken our own emotions, drawing us closer to the cross.

While Sun and Moon Weep

Rossetti then shifts focus to creation’s response:

• Not so the Sun and Moon

• Which hid their faces in a starless sky,

• A horror of great darkness at broad noon

• I, only I.

As darkness covered the land at the crucifixion (Luke 23:44–45), nature itself seemed to recoil at the audacity of creatures crucifying their Creator. Rossetti contrasts this with her own indifference, underscoring the loneliness of spiritual apathy. “I, only I” remain unmoved, she confesses, while creation mourns.

Such isolation serves as a warning: unchecked indifference can separate us from the joy and sorrow of the gospel. But Rossetti’s next words offer hope.

Surrendered to Indifference

The poet turns her lament into a desperate prayer:

• Yet give not o’er,

• But seek Thy sheep, true Shepherd of the flock;

• Greater than Moses, turn and look once more

• And smite a rock.

Rossetti’s plea echoes the gospel’s central promise: Christ is the Good Shepherd who seeks out His lost sheep (John 10:14–15). Her call for Him to “smite a rock” draws on Exodus 17:6, where Moses struck a rock to provide water for Israel. The Apostle Paul later connects this image to Christ, struck on the cross to bring forth living water (1 Corinthians 10:4).

This prayer asks for divine intervention a powerful blow to break through the stony hardness of our hearts and release responsive faith. Rossetti’s words remind us that God alone can renew our affections, softening our indifference and drawing us back into worship.

The Remedy for Indifference

If you find yourself unmoved this Holy Week, consider these steps to rekindle awe:

• Pray for Renewal: Like Rossetti, ask God to break through your spiritual apathy. Pray for Him to soften your heart and draw you closer to the cross.

• Reflect on the Witnesses: Spend time meditating on the grief of those who witnessed Christ’s suffering Mary, Peter, the thief on the cross, and others. Let their sorrow awaken your own.

• Revisit the Cross: Read the passion narratives slowly and prayerfully (Matthew 26–27, Mark 14–15, Luke 22–23, John 18–19). Place yourself in the scene and reflect on the cost of your redemption.

• Consider Creation’s Response: Imagine the darkness at Calvary and the trembling earth. Let the weight of these events remind you of the magnitude of Christ’s sacrifice.

• Sing the Story: Worship through hymns or songs that tell the story of the cross. Let the music stir your emotions and lead you into deeper gratitude.

Conclusion

The story of the cross is one of immeasurable love, sacrifice, and redemption. Yet even the most sacred truths can feel distant when spiritual apathy sets in. Christina Rossetti’s Good Friday offers a powerful invitation to confront our indifference and seek God’s renewing grace.

May we, like the poet, pray earnestly for God to "smite the rock" of our hearts, softening our souls and rekindling our love for Christ. Let us stand beneath the cross, not as stones, but as sheep listening, weeping, and responding to the voice of our Shepherd.

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