"When I was young and throughout my
seminary years, I usually contemplated the crucifix and Jesus' suffering
on the Cross somberly. It was my sin that had put Him there,
that had made Him suffer. The Cross was something that compelled a
silent reverence in me, and suggested that I meditate deeply on what
Jesus had to endure. I would often think of John, Mary, and the other
women beneath the Cross, mournfully beholding Jesus' slow, painful
death.
"These were heavy and somber notes, but deeply moving themes.
". . . . I saw the cross - the crucifix - in somber, serious tones. The theme was meant to instill solemnity and encourage meditation on the awful reality of sin and on our need to repent.
"But the Lord wasn't finished with me yet; He wanted me to see another understanding of the Cross.
"He wanted me to also experience the 'good' in Good Friday,
for the Cross is also a place of victory and love, of God's
faithfulness and our deliverance. There's a lot to celebrate at the foot
of the Cross."
In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish,
Washington, DC) reflected on themes of somber reflection and of joyful celebration and the balance between them as we gratefully remember the sacrifice of Jesus for us on the cross.
To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:
Community in Mission: A Different Look at the Cross (15 MAR 18)
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