GOOD FRIDAY
On this day in the liturgy we read St. Johns account of the passion, we pray for the needs of the Church and the world, we venerate the Cross and we receive the blessed Eucharist. We think of the death of Jesus on the cross, his death was a result of the courage of his convictions. He lived his life with a message of compassion, of equality and love, Jesus was often critical of those who lorded it over those who were less well off or who had little or even nothing at all. The cross of Good Friday is a sign and a symbol that all of us recognise, it is a sign of the completeness of the love that God has for each one of us faults and failings included.
It is not accidental that the Passion according to John is always read on this day. This account shows that Jesus is always in charge, in total command of his situation. John’s Passion is an extended commentary on an earlier statement of Jesus found in John 10:17-18: “I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.” The focus of the liturgy of Good Friday, is not primarily a meditation on Jesus’ pain, nor on our sinfulness, or our imitation of Jesus’ humility. Instead the focus on the cross is a reminder to us that we are beneficiaries of this event and so we call the Friday “Good” by thanking God for what God has done for us . The final words of Jesus from the cross say it all for us, “It is accomplished!” Jesus is not overcome. On the contrary! He has overcome and the fact that we are celebrating Good Friday in 2019 bears witness to this. When we go up to venerate the cross on Good Friday we should allow the cross to move us to be better people. Consoling, comforting and challenging the people we meet with the values of Jesus and the Cross.
How splendid is the Cross- of Christ! It brings life,
not death;
Light not darkness; Paradise, not its loss.
It is the wood on which the Lord, like a great warrior;
was wounded in hands, and feet and side,
but healed thereby our wounds.A tree had destroyed us,
a tree now brought us life.
Theodore of Studios
Fullerton T 