Year on year, the Good Friday Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion is, by far and away, the largest liturgy of the Church’s year. More people come today to remember the death of Jesus—as is evident in the few thousands of you present right now—than any other day.
Why do we come in such great numbers? Certainly, to hear again the story of the passion and death of Jesus, our Saviour. It is also to receive from Christ his body and blood, the same Christ broken and poured out for us on Calvary.
But probably, the most significant reason we come on this day-of-days is to take part in the procession to the foot of the cross, and there to be embraced by him who embraced the whole world.
We will come forward in different ways. Some with emotion, some awkwardly. Some with curiosity, some out of habit. The procession line we form will be slow but steady, allowing us to prepare for that moment when we stand before the cross, and before him who died on it.
We process forward without words; but our hands are likely to be full. We carry in them all that we wish for Jesus to carry for us. Our burdens and failures; our remorse and pain; our desires and hopes. There they are, in our hands, ready to be taken onto the cross by Christ, who bears them for us.
As we come up to the image of his crucifixion, we pause: to kiss his feet; to touch his wounds; to bow down before the One who was lifted up for our sake.
And at that moment, know that you have reached the place where you might find forgiveness and healing. For it is here that Christ has stretched out his hands to embrace us.
Archbishop Peter A Comensoli
Most Reverend Peter Andrew Comensoli is the Archbishop of Melbourne.
