Rev. Fr. Leonard Goffine's
The Church's Year
(Imprimatur: March 1874)
INSTRUCTION ON GOOD FRIDAY
This day was formerly for the Jewish people a day of preparation for Easter,
and was called by them the Parasceve; for us Christians it is the
anniversary of the death and burial of our Lord who on this day, being
Himself both High-Priest and Victim, offered Himself upon the cross for the
salvation of the world.
Why do Catholics hold this day in such veneration?
Because it is one of the greatest days from the beginning of the world to
its end. On this day the designs which God had from all eternity were
perfected, as Jesus Himself expressed when He said, All is consummated; for
on this day He was given up toy the Gentiles by the Jews, was scourged,
crowned with thorns, loaded with the cross, dragged to Calvary amid taunts
and sneers, there nailed to the cross between two thieves, and by His
painful death finished the great work of redemption.
Why did Christ suffer so much to, redeem, us?
To show us what an immense evil sin is, on account of which He underwent
such cruel sufferings that He might satisfy divine justice. His love for us
was so great that He gave the last drop of His blood to save us. He rendered
satisfaction for all men without exception, that none might be lost, that
every one might possess eternal life. Look up today, and every day of thy
life, to Christ on the cross, and see how God punishes sin, since He did not
even spare His only-begotten Son, who took upon Himself our sins, and for
them died this cruel death. What death is due to thee, if thou dost not
despise and flee from sin?
Why does the Church celebrate the commemoration of the passion of Christ in
such solemn quietness?
That we may be induced to thank the Saviour for our redemption, and to move
us to sincere love for Him by serious meditation on His passion. For this
reason St. Paul ordered the observance of this day, and the Christians even
in his time sanctified it by deep mourning, and rigorous fasting.
Why do we not observe Good Friday with such festivities as do the
Protestants?
Because our grief for our Saviour's death is too great to permit us to
celebrate it joyously, even nature mourned His death; the sun was darkened,
the earth trembled and the rocks were rent. Although the Christian rejoices
on this day in the grace of redemption through Christ, he is aware that his
joy cannot be pleasing to God unless he endeavors to participate in the
merits of the passion and death of Christ by sorrow for his sins, by
amendment and penance; and this is the very reason why the Church solemnizes
this day in a sad and touching manner.
Why are there no candles lighted at the beginning of the service?
To signify that on this day Christ, the Light of the world, became, as it
were, extinguished.
Why does the priest prostrate himself before the altar at the beginning of
the service?
That with him we should consider in deepest sorrow and humility how the
Saviour died on the cross for our sins, and how unworthy we are on account
of them to lift up our faces.
Why does the service commence with the reading of two lessons?
Because Christ died for Jews and Gentiles. The first lesson is from the
Prophet Osee, (Osee VI, 1-6.) and the other from Exodus, (Exod. XII. 1-11.)
from them we infer that by the bloody death of the immaculate Lamb Jesus we
are healed of our sins, and redeemed from death.
After the first lesson the Priest says the following:
COLLECT O God! from whom Judas received the punishment of his sin, and the
thief the reward of his confession: grant us the effects of Thy mercy; that
as our Lord Jesus Christ at the time of His passion bestowed on each a
different recompense of his merits, so having destroyed the old man in us,
He may give us the grace of His Resurrection. Who liveth, & c.
REMARK After the Passion the priest prays in behalf of the one, only true
Church, that she may increase, and that peace and unity may always remain
with her; for the pope, that his government may be blessed; for the bishops,
priests, the clergy, and the people, that they may serve God in justice; for
those converted to the faith, that they may continue to grow an knowledge
and an zeal for the holy religion; for rulers as defenders of the Church,
that they may govern with wisdom and justice, and that those under them may
be loyal to them with fidelity and obedience; for the unfortunate, that God
may have mercy on them; for heretics and apostates, that they may be brought
back from error to the truth of the Catholic faith; for the Jews, that they
may be enlightened; for the heathens, that they may be converted. Before
each gayer the priest says Oremus, (Let us pray Flectamus genua, (Let us
kneel; when kneeling, we say Amen, and at the call Levate (Rise up) we rise:
except at the prayer for the Jews, when the genuflection is omitted, because
the Jews bent the knee in mockery before our Lord. As Christ on this day
prayed for all men, the Church desires, that we do the same; say, therefore,
the following:
PRAYER O Lord Jesus! who on the cross, while enduring the most excruciating
pain, didst pray with a loud voice for all men, we humbly pray Thee for Thy
vicar, Pope N., for our bishop N., for all the priests and clergy, for our
civil government, for the neophytes, for the unfortunate and oppressed, for
all Catholics, that Thou mayst preserve them in the true faith, and
strengthen them, that they may serve Thee according to their different
vocations. We pray Thee also for all unbelievers, and those separated from
the true fold, for the Jews, and for the heathens, that Thou mayst unite all
in Thy holy Church, and bring them to eternal salvation. Amen.
What is done by the priest after these prayers?
The priest then goes down from the epistle side of the altar, takes the
veiled crucifix, and extending it towards the people, uncovers it so much
that the head is seen, and sings in a low voice: Ecce lignum, crucis, &c.:
Behold the wood of the cross on which the Salvation of the world was hanged!
The choir answers: Venite, adoremus: Come, let us adore! at which all kneel,
adoring Christ who died on the cross for us. The priest then advances to the
corner of the altar, uncovers the right arm of the Crucifix, and sings in a
higher tone: Ecce lignum crucis, &c.; to which the choir responds as before.
Then at the middle of the altar he uncovers the entire Crucifix, and
elevating it, sings in a still higher tone than before: Ecce lignum, &c. The
choir responds again: Venite adoremus. The image of the crucified Redeemer,
which has been hidden from our view since Passion Sunday should make a deep
impression upon us; it teaches us at the same time how the Saviour became
gradually known to the world. Jesus is adored three times, because He was
mocked three times: in the court-yard of the high-priest, in Pilate's house,
and on mount Calvary. When the crucifix is unveiled the priest carries it to
the place prepared for it, and kneeling he places it on the cushion covered
with a white veil to represent the laying of Christ in the sepulchre; he
then retires to the gospel side of the Altar where he puts off to a his
shoes, like Moses, when he was about to approach Almighty God; he then
kneels and meditates on the passion of Christ; goes a few steps forward,
again kneels, and still a third time, this time directly in front of the
crucifix. He adores Jesus with humility, considers His infinite love, which
brought Him to the cross and laid Him in the sepulchre for our Redemption;
and then kisses with reverence the image of the crucified Saviour. During
this veneration of the cross the choir chants alternately the versicles
called the Reproaches, and between each part of the canticle the following
words in Greek and Latin: "Holy God! Holy and strong God! Holy and immortal
God! have mercy on us!" In these versicles Christ tenderly and lovingly
reproaches the people who crucified Him, which we may also take to
ourselves, who have so often crucified Jesus anew by sin. They are therefore
called reproaches, words of complaint, and continue during the veneration of
the cross by the priest. Afterwards a hymn of praise composed by St.
Fortunatus is sung in honor of the victory gained on the cross by our
Saviour, which calls upon us also to render praise and thanks to Jesus
crucified.
Adore also in deepest humility the Saviour who died on the cross, and is now
victoriously enthroned; ask with sincere contrition the forgiveness of your
sins, and by a threefold advance, kiss with sincere love His sacred wounds,
promising to love all men, even your enemies, and to have pity on all in
distress, according to His example.
What follows the veneration of the cross?
The sacred Host consecrated on Holy Thursday, and kept in the chalice, is
brought by the priest in procession, from the repository to the high altar,
incensed in sign of adoration, and after a few short prayers the priest
elevates It with the right hand, breaks It, puts one part in the chalice and
communicates, and soon after leaves the altar.
Is there, then, no Mass said on this day?
No; for on this day there is no bread and wine consecrated, which is the
essential part of the Sacrifice of the Mass.
Why is no Mass said on this day?
Because Jesus Christ having this day sacrificed Himself on the altar of the
cross in a bloody offering, it is not meet that His death sacrifice should
be today repeated even in an unbloody manner. Besides this, Mass is a joyous
and comforting sacrifice, and is therefore omitted because of our mourning.
What devotions may be practised to-day?
Besides adoring Jesus in the holy sepulchre, the stations may be said,
meditations made on the sufferings of our Lord. Let the words of St.
Augustine touch your heart, when he places the crucified Redeemer before our
mind in the following words: "Behold the wounds of Jesus who is hanging on
the cross, the blood of the dying, the price of our redemption! His head is
bowed to give the kiss of peace; His side is open to love; His arms are
extended to embrace us; His whole body sacrificed for our redemption. Let
these words be the subject of your meditation that He may be wholly in your
heart who is nailed to the cross for you."
MANNER OF CONTEMPLATING CHRIST'S BITTER PASSION
Christ also suffered for us: leaving you an example that you should follow
his steps. (I Peter II. 21.)
Whence does it come," writes St. Alphonsus Ligouri, "that so many of the
faithful look with so much indifference at Christ on the cross? They
generally assist during Holy Week at the commemoration of His death without
any feeling of gratitude or compassion, as if it were a fable or an event in
which they had no interest. Know they not, or believe they not what the
gospel relates of Christ's passion? Indeed they know it, and believe it, but
do not think of it. It is impossible that he who believes and meditates,
should fail, to become burning with love for God who suffers and dies for
love of him." But why, we may ask here, are there so many who draw so little
benefit even from the contemplation of the passion and death of Jesus?
Because they fail to consider and imitate the example which Christ gives in
His sufferings.
"The cross of Christ," says St. Augustine, "is not only a bed of death, but
a pulpit of instruction." It is not only a bed upon which Christ dies, but
the pulpit from which He teaches us what we must do. It should now be our
special aim to meditate upon the passion of Christ, and to imitate those
virtues which shone forth so preeminently in His passion and death. But many
neglect to do this: They usually content themselves with compassion when
they see Christ enduring such great pains, but they see not with what love,
humility, and meekness He bears them; and so do not endeavor to imitate His
example. That you, O Christian soul, may avoid this mistake, and that you
may draw the greatest possible benefit for your soul, from the contemplation
of the passion, and death of Christ, attend to that which is said of it by
that pious servant of Gods Alphonse Rodriguez:
We must endeavor to derive from the meditation on the mysteries of the
passion and death of Christ this effect, that we may imitate His virtues,
and this by slowly and attentively considering each virtue by itself,
exercising ourselves in forming a very great desire for it in our hearts,
making a firm resolution to practice it in words and works, and also to
conceive a holy aversion and horror of the opposite vice; for instance, when
contemplating Christ's condemnation to the death of the cross by Pilate,
consider the humility of Jesus Christ, who being God, as humble as He was
innocent, voluntarily submitted and silently accepted the unjust sentence
and the ignominious death. Here you see from the example given by Jesus, how
you should despise yourself, patiently bear all evil, unjust judgment; and
detraction, and even seek them with joy as giving you occasion to resemble
Him. To produce these necessary effects and resolutions, you should at each
mystery contemplate the following particulars:
First, Who is it that suffers? The most innocent, the holiest, the most
loving; the only-begotten Son of the Almighty Father, the Lord of heaven and
earth. Secondly; What pains and torments, exterior and interior, does He
suffer? Thirdly, In what manner does He suffer, with what patience,
humility, meekness and love, does He bear all ignominy and outrage?
Fourthly, For whom does He suffer? For all men, for His enemies and His exe
bcsoners. Fifthly, By whom does He suffer? By Jews and heathens, by soldiers
and tyrants, by the devil and all impious children of the world to the end
of time, and all who were then united in spirit with His enemies. Sixthly,
Why does He suffer? To make reparation for all the sins of the whole world,
to satisfy the justice of God, to reconcile the Heavenly Father, to open
heaven, to give us His infinite 'merits that we may from them have strength
to follow the way to heaven. At the consideration of each of these points,
and indeed at each mystery of the passion of Christ, the imitation of the
example of His virtues is the main object, because the true life of the
Christian consists in the imitation of Jesus. In considering each stage of
the passion of Christ place vividly before your mind the virtue whi thee
practiced therein; contemplate it and ask yourself whether you possess this
virtue, or whether you still cherish the opposite vice. If you find the
latter to be the case make an act of contrition, with the firm resolution to
extirpate this vice, and excite in yourself a sincere desire for the
opposite virtue. In this way you will draw the greatest advantage from the
contemplation of Christ's passion, and wifficesemble Christ, and, as the
pious Louis of Granada says, there can be no greater honor and adornment for
a Christian than to resemble his divine Master, not in the way that Lucifer
desired, but in that which He pointed out, when He said: "I have given you
an example, that as I have done to you, so do you also."
THE PEOPLE AT THE CROSS, AND THE PEOPLE OF TODAY
At Golgotha, in sight of the temple and city of Jerusalem, in the presence
of two or three millions of Jews, who had come to the city from all lands,
Jesus, the Son of God, hung upon the cross, an , expiatory sacrifice for
mankind burdened with all manner of sin. Near cross of her dying Son stood
Mary, His mother, filled with grief; by her side John, the beloved disciple,
and kneeling at the foot of the cross almost insensible from sorrow and
anguish, convulsively winding her arms around the wood of the cross, was
Mary Magdalen, the penitent. On a cross at the right hand hung a penitent
thief turned towards the Saviour; at the left hand on another cross groaned
another criminal of impenitent heart, blaspheming the Holy One of Israel.
Around the agonizing Saviour stood the Scribes and Pharisees, that
hypocritical class of practiced miscreants, who hated and persecuted the
innocent Lamb Jesus, even in death, who blink to all the predictions of the
prophets whose books they had read, blind to the actual miracles which Jesus
had wrought before their eyes to prove His divinity and His mission, filled
with envy and hatred, reviled the dying Redeemer. At a distance stood a
crowd of curious, indifferent people, who had come to Jerusalem to attend
the feast of the Passover, and having heard of Jesus were present at His
crucifixion. Not far from them the rough soldiers and executioners lay
around, dividing among themselves the Saviour's clothes and casting lots for
His seamless garment.
This was the society that surrounded the Son of God and Redeemer of the
world bleeding on the cross, and in their different phases they are types of
the men of today.
Only few were there who clung to the Saviour in unwavering faith and true
love, ready to die with Him, and for Him. There were few who suffered all
taunts and sneers all revilings and blasphemies, and departed not from the
cross. Of these three were especially faithful, viz. Mary, John, and
Magdalen. Those who like Mary and John are pure and innocent, or like
Magdalen are weeping for their sins, who confess Jesus with their heart and
lips, cling faithfully to Him, and permit neither persecution nor death to
separate them from Him, are like the faithful three at the cross. As then by
the cross, so today, the number of the faithful is small, and great is the
number of those who, like the careless spectators of the crucifixion, are
not decided enemies of Jesus crucified, nor yet His firm friends. They have
indeed been baptized in the name of Jesus, they remain externally with the
Catholic Church, which Christ founded, but they are sunk in lukewarmness,
have no living faith, and are wavering to and fro like a reed between the
world and Jesus. They fear the sneers of the so-called learned and
enlightened, many of whom are well represented by the Scribes and Pharisees,
who, having no faith in Christ themselves, bear in - their hearts only
hatred and contempt for His Church; they shun the cross, because it is too
heavy for their sensuality; they do not, it is true, commit public crimes,
they prize highly a good name, occasionally observe the law of the Church,
but are accessible to every error; their ears incline to every blasphemy
against the religion of Jesus and His ministers, the priests. Instead of
standing fearlessly and boldly for Christ, for the holy faith He has taught,
and which the Church teaches, they turn away, are silent, even go with the
Church's enemies that they may not be sneered at. The are neither hot, nor
cold, so that the words of the Scriptures are verifled in them: Because thou
art lukewarm, and neither cold, nor hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of
my mouth. (Apoc. III. 16.) The Lord casts away from Him these lukewarm,
indifferent Christians, as nauseous saliva, and leaves them to their
destruction. The true Pharisees of our day are those who purposely close
their eyes to the light of truth, who have put aside faith in Jesus, and are
no longer disposed to receive instruction. Their pride, their egotism has
blinded them, with their poor reason they wish to understand the mysteries
of ,the Almighty, with their weak intellect to fathom His ways, even seek to
be equal to God; they deny every revealed truth, they deny the existence of
heaven and hell, they propose to live like the animals, without God, but
their end is, ruin! Few of them, having seen their error, as the thief on
the cross at the right hand of Jesus, turn repentingly to the Redeemer;
obdurate as the robber and murderer at His left, the Pharisees of our day
cease not to blaspheme the Crucified, and to revile His holy Church. These
are assisted by the apostates and unbelievers, who, like the soldiers and
executioners, divide among themselves His clothes, and cast lots for His
seamless garment. Those clothes which the soldiers divided among themselves,
are the truths which the apostates and heretics yet retain after their
apostacy from the Church. They have divided these truths, for they have
separated themselves into thousands of sects, and possess only portions of
the one truth, which Jesus has laid down in. His Church, whole and complete.
"Upon my vesture they have cast lots."
This seamless vesture of Christ is His holy Church that cannot be separated
or divided, she is one, and must remain one to the end of time. Concerning
this one true Church, the sects all quarrel, all want to be the true Church
without considering that, as but one soldier, by the lots, received Christ's
seamless garment, so only one association of men can be the true Church, and
that is the association which Christ has chosen.
Thus we find at the cross on Golgotha the different classes of people of our
day represented, namely, the pure and innocent; the repenting sinners, firm
adherents of Jesus and His teachings; as also the lukewarm, wavering,
nominal Christians; obdurate heretics, professed infidels and apostates. So
today mankind is divided into like parties.
To which party do you belong, O Christian soul? To which do you wish to
belong? Choose! The time of the division is near. The Lord already holds in
His hand the winnowing shovel to clear His floor. If you are not a firm
adherent of Jesus and His Church, in the storm that is gathering you will be
blown like chaff. If you remain with the small group at the cross, in
persevering courage, you will stand firm, and on the day when the cross
shall appear in the clouds of heaven, you, with Mary, the mother of the
(faithful, with John and with Magdalen, will triumph forever, as a
victorious knight of the cross. Decide!
-------------------------
Taken from "Rev. Fr. Leonard Goffine's The Church's Year" online
(http://www.sspxasia.com/Documents/The_Church_Year/Good-Friday.htm)
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