What is Good Friday all about?

Good Friday falls every year towards the end of the most significant week in the Christian season of Lent. It commemorates the crucifixtion of Jesus Christ and his death at Cavalry. When Jesus died and rose to life three days later, Christians proclaimed it to be as the ‘turning point’ of all creation.

In various scriptures of the Holy Bible, it is said that Jesus died on the cross for his people’s sins, as the ultimate sacrifice. However, the real debate lies in why this particular day is called as ‘Good’ Friday. While some believe it to be derived from ‘God’s’ Friday, but the real reason is because Christians believe that as painful as Jesus’ death was, it was all part of God’s plan to save them from their sins, and to give them the joyous celebration of ‘Easter’. Good Friday also co-incides with the Jewish celebration of Passover.

According to Christianity, the cross is where one will see the convergence of great suffering and God’s forgiveness. Psalms 85:10 sings of a day when ‘righteousness and peace’ will ‘kiss each other.’ The cross of Jesus is where that occurred, where God’s demands, his righteousness, coincided with his mercy. One receives divine forgiveness, mercy, and peace because Jesus willingly took our divine punishment, the result of God’s righteousness against sin. “For the joy set before him” (Hebrews 12:2) Jesus endured the cross on Good Friday, knowing it led to his resurrection, salvation, and the beginning of God’s reign of righteousness and peace.

According to the Bible, on the eve of Good Friday (Maundy Thursday), Jesus informed his disciples to expect his death during what’s known as the Last Supper. He also told them that from then on, if they ate bread and drank wine they would be eating his body and drinking his blood. This is now known by some Christians as Holy Communion. Later, one of his disciples Judas Iscariot betrayed him and this helped the royal soldiers find Jesus in Gethsemane. Judas was given 30 silver coins for his betrayal, and he did so by kissing Jesus, pointing out to the spies nearby who they were to arrest. The fact that Jesus has performed miracles and claimed to be the son of God had brought him into contention with religious leaders, and now he was going to be punished.

Good Friday is a day of penance, and the Church around the world is obligated to observe it as a day of fasting and abstinence. It is also the only day of the year where the ‘celebration’ of Mass is forbidden. For veneration of the cross, let a cross be used that is of appropriate size and beauty, and let one of the forms for this rite as found in the Roman Missal be followed.

When veneration (unveiling) of the cross is carried out on Good Friday people’s response should be made in song, and a period of respectful silence is to be observed after each act of veneration—the celebrant standing and holding the raised cross. The cross is to be presented to each of the faithful individually for their adoration since the personal adoration of the cross is a most important feature in this celebration; only when necessitated by the large numbers of faithful present should the rite of veneration be made simultaneously by all present. Only one cross should be used for the veneration, as this contributes to the full symbolism of the rite.

During the veneration of the cross the antiphons, “Reproaches,” and hymns should be sung, so that the history of salvation be commemorated through song. Other appropriate songs may also be sung.