Understanding Our Faith

The Three Days of the Passover – Good Friday

The Afternoon Liturgy on Good Friday shows the signs of being part of the same three-day feast that the liturgies of Holy Thursday and the Easter Vigil show.

There is very little concentration of the suffering of Jesus at the Good Friday Liturgy.  During it we use the account of Jesus’ suffering and death from St John’s Gospel in which Jesus seems to be in control of the whole process.  John’s major point is that in his suffering we have Jesus giving himself over to death to complete what he has come to do.  And so in John’s account, Jesus’ last words are “It is accomplished”.

Likewise, at the Veneration of the Cross, the accompanying texts emphasise that the cross is our salvation and we venerate and worship the one who died on the cross.  The following texts are a sample of the ancient texts accompanying the veneration of the cross.

“We worship you, Lord, we venerate your cross, we praise your resurrection.  Through the cross you brought joy to the world.”

“Holy is God!  Holy and Strong!  Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us!”

“Behold the wood of the Cross, on which hung the salvation of the world.  Come, let us adore.”

In these texts and others, the Cross is seen in the light of Christ’s paradoxical victory, his resurrection.  The resurrection is barely under the surface of the celebration.  It is, as it were, pushing through his death.

There is also a strong link between Holy Thursday and Good Friday in the receiving of communion on Good Friday.  Our practice is that we receive Holy Communion on Good Friday in Eucharist which was consecrated at Mass on Holy Thursday, thus creating a link between the two days.

Good Friday closes in silence as we await the celebration of the resurrection at the Easter Vigil.

By Fr Frank O’Loughlin