Thoughts & Homilies

Good Friday, 2002 -
March 29, 2002

This is a blessed day of remembrance.
It is the day our salvation was won.
On this day, we remember what appears to be Death's Victory.
Most of all this is a very personal day.
Jesus died for our sins.
He died for my sins.

This is a day to let ourselves be overwhelmed
with the meaning of the cross.

That is why no sacraments, no Masses are celebrated anywhere in the world today. Our focus is the totally unconditional, undeserved, self giving, sacrificial love of Jesus for me,
and for each of you.

I remember as child, how Good Friday seemed like such a sad and yet engaging day, solemn, somber, fasting, very serious.
It seemed like the whole world stopped for a little while.

The mood of my Good Fridays, as an adult, are a little different,
still solemn and reverent, but a day of deep and quiet gratitude,
awe, utter amazement that we would be loved so much,
and not because we are so lovable or good,
but because God is so loving and so good.

Yes, the focus is the cross, and in a few minutes we will be unveiling a very large, rough hewn cross that we have had in this parish for 17 Good Fridays. One of our own parishioners made it.
We will remove the cloth, take it down and place in near the altar. I'm sure many of you remember from your childhood standing in line, waiting to go up and venerate the cross. My most stirring memories of Good Friday are the proclamation of the Passion, of course, but also seeing people approach the cross and the many ways they show their respect, love and gratitude.
People come year after year, with great devotion. Watch them.
It is such a moving meditation.
Some simply kneel near it,
some reach out to touch it, some bend down to kiss it.
Small children watch big children and parents for clues of what to do. I've seen little children hug the cross with both arms. I've seen people press their check to it. I've seen many remove their shoes as a way of saying this is 'holy ground'. Some come forward with tears, others with just very tender expressions.
Some people have suffered personal losses since the last
Good Friday and so the cross has a very new and personal meaning. Some are very ill and are seeing life and death in powerful new ways.

Every year I am so touched by how people, young and old, revere the cross, and though I've seen 60 Good Fridays,
I realize I have only begun to understand it's truth, its beauty,
it's mystery.

The cross for all of its ugliness and cruelty that first Good Friday,
has become a symbol of great hope, mercy, love, a source of encouragement and comfort to millions.
Just think how many millions of people have been able to face the tragedies of their own lives because of the cross, how many have faced their own dying with some sense of serenity because of their faith in Jesus who went through it before them.

We heard the story of his passion and come to understand a little more each year that this is very much like our story.
And his prayer becomes our prayer.
"Father into you hands, I commend my spirit."
We were created by love (for God is love).
In the end we turn to love and love embraces us.

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