Friday of the Passion of the Lord (Good Friday)

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 57 The Artisans of the Monastery
The Celebration of the Passion of the Lord: Is 52:13-53:12; Resp Ps 31; Hb 4:14-16; 5:7-9; Jn 18:1-19:42

By his stripes we were healed.

HEART OF JESUS, PIERCED WITH A LANCE,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

We are united this Good Friday in remembering the death of Jesus. Please take time today, whether by yourself, or with those in your midst, to prayerfully read out loud Saint John's account of the Passion of Our Lord (Jn 18:1-19:42). If by yourself, perhaps connect with others via some source of video chat. As suggested earlier in the week, take turns reading out loud, pausing to reflect and meditate on the Word. The Lord is with you, present at this time, revealing the gift of His Passion and Death. Christ became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every other name (Verse before the Gospel).

Another source for reflection is to take once again in hand your favorite crucifix, or gaze at the crucifix on your wall and pray with your eyes as did the late Cardinal Basil Hume.

I like that because sometimes in the morning when you're tired and have a lot of worries in your head, it's not easy to get the head up to God, so you have to pray with your eyes. Sometimes I just sit and look at the cross and say to myself: in all hospitals there are people dying. A lot of people I meet or who write letters to me are suffering terribly at this moment. So, looking at the cross, I think of all those people sharing that passion, sharing the agony of the Lord. And if God became man—as indeed He did—He came to share a lot of what we all have to live and undergo and gives it meaning and purpose and makes it holy. I find that very powerful, and when people say to me, ‘I’m very worried’ or ‘I’ve just lost my husband’ or ‘There’s been a terrible tragedy in our family—please pray for me,’ I say, ‘Yes, I’ll do it tomorrow morning.’ So sitting in the chapel, looking at the crucifix, I remember that person.
(Basil Hume, Hope from the Cross: Reflections on Jesus' Seven Last Words, p. 77-78).

Gaze upon the outstretched arms of Christ crucified, let yourself be saved over and over again.
(Pope Francis, Twitter, April 10, 2020)

The following poem by Christine Rodgers, Practicing Resurrection, can also be a source for reflection:

What is the

glorious 

possibility

inside all

this fear

and frenzied

activity.

Can we

continue

walking with

Christ - 

through the

agony - the

scourging -

the long, arduous

dying.

Can we face

our dying

with Christ - 

and enter

a whole new

Way of

Living.

LET YOUR FACE SHINE UPON YOUR SERVANT;

SAVE ME IN YOUR KINDNESS.

TAKE COURAGE AND BE STOUTHEARTED,

ALL YOU WHO HOPE IN THE LORD.

(Ps 31:17-18) Today's photo: "The road to Calvary" sidewalk, courtesy of my niece and grandniece.  

© Gertrude Feick 2020