BEHOLD THE WOOD OF THE CROSS . . .

On which has hung the Salvation of the World! (Good Friday Liturgy, Roman Rite)

Today we commemorate Jesus' Passion & Death of the Cross. In the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church this day is called Good Friday, in the Catholic Churches of the Byzantine Rite this day is called Holy & Great Friday. (This is also the only day that the Mass and Divine Liturgy are not celebrated.) Both titles can only hint at what this day is really about. This day is the great feast in which we celebrate our salvation being won for us. Jesus' death paid the price for all our sins. His shedding of His blood won for us the atonement of our sins.It is truly Good since even though the Son of God died on the Cross because of the victory won as a result of Jesus' shedding his blood on the Cross. This winning of our salvation has truly made this day Holy & Great.

There is an old hymn that has as a part of its refrain "There's power, power, wonder working power, in the precious Blood of the Lamb". St. Cyril of Jerusalem explained the meaning of this power in the shed Blood of Jesus Christ in a way that is just as true & fresh today as it was then. (Taken from the Jerusalem Catecheses):

"If we wish to understand the power of Christ’s blood, we should go back to the ancient account of its prefiguration in Egypt. “Sacrifice a lamb without blemish”, commanded Moses, “and sprinkle its blood on your doors”. If we were to ask him what he meant, and how the blood of an irrational beast could possibly save men endowed with reason, his answer would be that the saving power lies not in the blood itself, but in the fact that it is a sign of the Lord’s blood. In those days, when the destroying angel saw the blood on the doors he did not dare to enter, so how much less will the devil approach now when he sees, not that figurative blood on the doors, but the true blood on the lips of believers, the doors of the temple of Christ.

If you desire further proof of the power of this blood, remember where it came from, how it ran down from the cross, flowing from the Master’s side. The gospel records that when Christ was dead, but still hung on the cross, a soldier came and pierced his side with a lance and immediately there poured out water and blood. Now the water was a symbol of baptism and the blood, of the holy eucharist. The soldier pierced the Lord’s side, he breached the wall of the sacred temple, and I have found the treasure and made it my own. So also with the lamb: the Jews sacrificed the victim and I have been saved by it.

“There flowed from his side water and blood”. Beloved, do not pass over this mystery without thought; it has yet another hidden meaning, which I will explain to you. I said that water and blood symbolised baptism and the holy eucharist. From these two sacraments the Church is born: from baptism, “the cleansing water that gives rebirth and renewal through the Holy Spirit”, and from the holy eucharist. Since the symbols of baptism and the Eucharist flowed from his side, it was from his side that Christ fashioned the Church, as he had fashioned Eve from the side of Adam Moses gives a hint of this when he tells the story of the first man and makes him exclaim: “Bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh!” As God then took a rib from Adam’s side to fashion a woman, so Christ has given us blood and water from his side to fashion the Church. God took the rib when Adam was in a deep sleep, and in the same way Christ gave us the blood and the water after his own death.

Do you understand, then, how Christ has united his bride to himself and what food he gives us all to eat? By one and the same food we are both brought into being and nourished. As a woman nourishes her child with her own blood and milk, so does Christ unceasingly nourish with his own blood those to whom he himself has given life."

"These things the Saviour endured, and made peace through the Blood of His Cross, for things in heaven, and things in earth (Colossians 1:20) . For we were enemies of God through sin, and God had appointed the sinner to die. There must needs therefore have happened one of two things; either that God, in His truth, should destroy all men, or that in His loving-kindness He should cancel the sentence. But behold the wisdom of God; He preserved both the truth of His sentence, and the exercise of His loving-kindness. Christ took our sins in His body on the tree, that we by His death might die to sin, and live unto righteousness (1 Peter 2:24) . Of no small account was He who died for us; He was not a literal sheep; He was not a mere man; He was more than an Angel; He was God made man. The transgression of sinners was not so great as the righteousness of Him who died for them; the sin which we committed was not so great as the righteousness which He wrought who laid down His life for us,—who laid it down when He pleased, and took it again when He pleased. And would you know that He laid not down His life by violence, nor yielded up the ghost against His will? He cried to the Father, saying, Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit (Luke 23:46) ; I commend it, that I may take it again. And having said these things, He gave up the ghost (Matthew 27:50) ; but not for any long time, for He quickly rose again from the dead.

The Sun was darkened, because of the Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2) . Rocks were rent, because of the spiritual Rock. Tombs were opened, and the dead arose, because of Him who was free among the dead; He sent forth His prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water (Zechariah 9:11) . Be not then ashamed of the Crucified, but be thou also bold to say, He bears our sins, and endures grief for us, and with His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:4-5) . Let us not be unthankful to our Benefactor. And again; for the transgression of my people was He led to death; and I will give the wicked for His burial, and the rich for His death. Therefore Paul says plainly, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He has risen again the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) .

But we seek to know clearly where He has been buried. Is His tomb made with hands? Is it, like the tombs of kings, raised above the ground? Is the Sepulchre made of stones joined together? And what is laid upon it? Tell us, O Prophets, the exact truth concerning His tomb also, where He is laid, and where we shall seek Him? And they say, Look into the solid rock which you have hewn (Isaiah 51:1) . Look in and behold. You have in the Gospels In a sepulchre hewn in stone, which was hewn out of a rock. And what happens next? What kind of door has the sepulchre? Again another Prophet says, They cut off My life in a dungeon, and cast a stone upon Me. I, who am the Chief corner-stone, the elect, the precious (1 Peter 2:6), lie for a little time within a stone—I who am a stone of stumbling to the Jews, and of salvation to them who believe. The Tree of life, therefore was planted in the earth, that the earth which had been cursed might enjoy the blessing, and that the dead might be released.

Let us not then be ashamed to confess the Crucified. Be the Cross our seal made with boldness by our fingers on our brow, and on everything; over the bread we eat, and the cups we drink; in our comings in, and goings out; before our sleep, when we lie down and when we rise up; when we are in the way, and when we are still. Great is that preservative; it is without price, for the sake of the poor; without toil, for the sick; since also its grace is from God. It is the Sign of the faithful, and the dread of devils: for He triumphed over them in it, having made a show of them openly (Colossians 2:15); for when they see the Cross they are reminded of the Crucified; they are afraid of Him, who bruised the heads of the dragon. Despise not the Seal, because of the freeness of the gift; out for this the rather honour your Benefactor."

The noble Joseph took down from the cross Your most pure body.

Anointing it with spices, he wrapped it in pure linen, and placed it in a new tomb. (Troparian for the procession with the Burial Shroud, Vespers for Holy & Great Friday, Byzantine Rite)