Key Info

Day / Date:  Friday, March 29, 2024
Devotion:     Live Stations of the Cross
Time:            12:00 noon
Liturgy:        Good Friday - Celebration of Our Lord's Passion
Time:            3:00 p.m.
Devotion:     Stations of the Cross (Traditional)
Time:            7:00 p.m.

Liturgy Overview

First, at 12:00 noon, we have the Living Stations of the Cross in the church, portrayed by the youth of the parish.

Then, at 3:00 p.m. we have the principal liturgy of the day, the Celebration of the Lord's Passion.  It is a continuation of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper from Holy Thursday.  So, like the lack of a dismissal last night there is no opening greeting today - our public prayer simply continues.  The ministers process in silence and the priest and ministers prostrate themselves in the traditional Good Friday opening ritual.  Then, the Liturgy of the Word includes the Passion according to John, which portrays a Jesus who is in charge and even guiding his own suffering and execution.  Indeed, Jesus reigns from the throne of the cross.  Later, the general intercessions, identically prayed throughout entire Catholic world on this day, address the needs of mankind at large.  Then, we have the ritual of venerating the Cross, followed by a communion service.  After the Closing Prayer there is no dismissal and we all depart in silence.

Later, at 7:00 p.m., we have the final celebration of the traditional Stations of the Cross for 2024.

Order of Worship

The Order of Worship for the Celebration of Our Lord's Passion is listed here:

• Silent Entrance
• Opening Prayer (Collect)
• Liturgy of the Word (including the Passion by John)
• Homily
• Solemn Intercessions
• Procession of the Cross and Veneration
• Collection and Preparation of the Altar
• Communion Service
• Closing Prayer
• Silent Recessional

Reflection

At the Celebration of Our Lord’s Passion on Good Friday, we see God’s mercy for us by the sacrifice of His only begotten Son.  This was accomplished in the most hideous way, through death on the cross, a notorious  and torturous execution method in the time of Jesus.

Most notably, in today’s passion account by the evangelist John, Jesus is shown avoiding several opportunities available to him to avoid this passion and death.  Instead, knowing that for this end he become one of us, he not only did not resist being crucified, he took a leading role in cooperating with the Jewish leaders who wanted to kill him.  When the Sanhedrin could not validate its accusations of Jesus through inept witnesses, Jesus, of his own choosing, provided the necessary evidence to be convicted.  When he was brought to Pilate, instead of cooperating with Pilate’s desire to set him free, Jesus instead chose to cooperate with the will of the Jewish leaders who sought his execution.  Knowing that dying for our redemption was his duty and that the salvation of all humankind rested on his shoulders, Jesus did not give Pilate a way to prevent his crucifixion.  Indeed, he went to his death quietly, like a lamb to the slaughter, completely loyal to his mission that he had to die so that we might have eternal life.

In the ultimate paradox, the cross is not only an instrument of torture and death, but also the instrument of our salvation.  Jesus, by being lifted up on the cross is lifted up in glory.  This is the mystery, the Passover of the Lord.  Good Friday is a day of prayerful consideration of Christ’s suffering and crucifixion, by which our salvation was gained.