Homily for Good Friday
Jesus has united himself to us all through the Cross. Dare we do the same?
Why do we venerate, reverence, sing of, touch, and kiss a torture device?
That’s what we’re doing when we come before the Cross.
When we sing behold the Wood of the Cross, we sing of an ancient device of torture, used by the Romans to maintain an empire, one built on slavery, suffering, and of persecution of those like Jesus who call into question the wisdom of the world and the status quo of the powerful.
But still we venerate and reverence this cross, this tree, because of the one who willingly suffered on it for love. The suffering servant whom Isaiah talks about today. The one who bore our infirmities, who endured our sufferings, and who was crushed and pierced for our offenses.
Because of Jesus we venerate this ancient device of torture. But not as a device of torture, but as the means of our salvation. Because on the wood of that cross, Jesus united himself forever to all the suffering, the hurting, and the broken of the world.
On that wooden cross, Jesus entered into solidarity with us, and with all the poor.
To the immigrant who is denied access at the border, Jesus is united.
To the young woman and mother who is struggling with the decision to keep her baby, Jesus is united. To the man or woman enduring the pain of a divorce, a long separation, or estrangement from their children, Jesus is united.
To the man or woman standing on the corner of Grand Avenue with a sign that says “anything helps! God bless”, Jesus is united.
To the captives held in prison in places like El Salvador and who are stripped of their dignity and are repeatedly told they are somehow subhuman, Jesus is united.
And so when we touch, venerate, kiss the Cross, we kiss, and touch, and venerate them, the ones to whom Christ is united. We refuse to turn away.
We kiss the captive held in prison without dignity and without justice.
We reach out and embrace the mother who is struggling.
And we venerate the immigrant at our border and at our door.
When we venerate this Cross, when we touch and kiss it, we touch and venerate Jesus, yes, and we are also touching and be called into relationship with all those whom Jesus suffered for, bled for, and died for.
And so in venerating the Cross we make his mission our own. His mission to forgive, to unite, and to love. Dispelling hatred, destroying bigotry, and establishing true peace, the peace which the world cannot give or understand.
So let us go, friends. Let us make his mission ours.
Let us adore the Wood of the Cross.