Ampleforth Abbey

Our Good Friday Solemn Liturgy is dominated by two moments: the proclamation of the Passion of Jesus Christ according to St John and the Veneration of the Cross.  Although the account of the Passion ends with the burial of Jesus, we know this is not the end of the story.  We cannot place ourselves in the position of the Mother of God, the Apostles and the other disciples who remained in Jerusalem after the crucifixion; we know that the resurrection followed early on the Sunday morning.  But for today the Church wants us to focus on the meaning of the Cross because the resurrection followed Christ’s death on this Roman instrument of torture and degradation.

Given the history of mankind it seems to me important that we recognise that we are especially skilled at torturing and killing our brothers and sisters.  It is one of the tragedies of our human race.  Wherever we look, in whatever country we look, in whatever epoch of history we consider, mankind has tortured and killed his fellow men, women and children.  And it still goes on.  It seems that all of us, left to ourselves, have the capacity to kill and wound and maim.  It is hard to see how we can maintain an optimistic view of our species in the light of the facts given to us by history.

And yet, we are also capable of acts of heroic altruism.  It is possible for us to work together to relieve suffering.  In some of the most unforgiving and unpromising areas of our world we find acts of wonderful kindness being performed.  I think, for example, of the work of the Missionaries of Charity in Johannesburg, which I visited earlier this year, among those dying of HIV and AIDS – deserted by family and friends but taken in and nursed by these devoted women.  And you and I know that they are not alone: there are other men and women who work in a similar way.

The struggle between Good and Evil is a real struggle.  It takes place in every human soul.  It has taken place in every human soul throughout the ages of recorded history.  As followers of Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, who became man for our salvation, we believe that the triumph of Good is not only possible but it is actually assured because Jesus, by dying on the Cross, has broken the power of Evil and made it possible for each one of us to follow in his footsteps.  For this reason it is essential that year by year we should recall the events which have given us new life and acknowledge them in a public act of worship.  As we come to the Cross we are making a public declaration in actions; it is as if we were saying, ‘Lord, by your Cross and Resurrection you have redeemed me.  You are the saviour of the world.  By the life you have given to me in baptism I will follow in your footsteps.’  We will publically renew this commitment in words tomorrow at the Easter Vigil.  As we receive Holy Communion today perhaps we should pray, ‘Lord, bring to completion in my life the commitment I have just made in actions.'