Behold the wood of the Cross

Ish 52:13-53:12, Heb. 4:14-16.5:7-9, Jn 18:1 -19:42. The Liturgy of Good Friday is very unique in every sense of the word, starting from the Stations of the Cross, in many parts of the world dramatised, to the celebration of the Lord’s Passion at the ninth hour, "The Hour of Glory". One of the striking things that we must note about today is that the Sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist, the Mass is not celebrated up till the Vigil Mass of Easter on Saturday evening because “the Sacrifice of Christ and the Sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single Sacrifice: The victim is one and the same: the same now offers through the ministry of Priests, who then offered Himself on the Cross; only the manner of offering is different. Since in this divine Sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered Himself once in a bloody manner on the Altar of the Cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner. Since the Mass and the Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross are one single sacrifice, it would be double actions to celebrate the Eucharist on the day in which the Church re-enact in an actual sense the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ.

However, the Holy Communion, the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the fruit of the Lord’s Sacrifice on the Cross is distributed to the faithful from what was reserved from the Mass of the previous day. The readings of today’s Liturgy point our attention to the actual event being re-enacted. Today's first reading presents to us one of the Suffering Servant’s Songs in the prophecy of Isaiah which many years before Christ spoke of His passion and death and of the expiatory value of His sacrifice for many for “by His sufferings shall my servant justify many.” In the passion and death of Christ, He exercised His unique Priesthood in which Himself is the Victim, Offerer and the Altar of sacrifice and through this one sacrifice of the Cross offered once and for all, “He became for all who obey him the source of eternal salvation” (Heb 4:14-16.5:7-9). In today's passion narrative, we are presented with the actual event of how it all happened. The story of the passion of Christ is the highlight of the ordeal, humility and self-emptying (kenosis), that we are expected to transpose into our life's story for us to glory in the Cross. How can we glory today in the instrument of the death of Christ? That frightening Cross where thieves and criminals were executed, "the old rugged Cross so despised by the world has become a wondrous attraction for us," because the crucified Jesus has become our life-giver in the spirit that His Cross is the life-giving throne of mercy on which He will forever be honoured. With the penitent thief we can pray: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Lk. 23:42). The instrument of His death has become the instrument of God’s mercy; and so we proclaim the triumph of new life, poured out from the Holy Cross. If we seek an example of humility, let us look upon the crucified One, for God wished to be judged by Pontius Pilate and to die. If we seek an example of obedience, let us follow Him who became obedient to the Father even unto death (Phil. 2:8). For just as by the disobedience of one man-Adam, many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one man, many were made righteous. If we seek an example of despising earthly things, let us follow Him who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Upon the Cross He was stripped, mocked, spat upon, struck, crowned with thorns, and given only vinegar and gall to drink.

May our celebration of the Lord’s Passion prepare us for the celebration of His glory at the resurrection! Amen!! Good morning and happy Good Friday!!!