Pope says through Cross Man in Every Era God's Friend
(22 Mar 08 - RV) “On the Cross the Lord restored humanity ‘s dignity!”
“Let
the sacrifice on the cross reach out to us, let it unsettle our human certainties
and ask questions from those who do not know God, who “wish to seek freedom by excluding
God,” and those “many who believe they do not need God.”
This was Pope
Benedict XVI’s reflection at the end of the Via Crucis, the Good Friday ceremony marking
the suffering and crucifixion of Our Lord.
The Way of the Cross, held as
has become tradition at the ancient roman amphitheatre the Coliseum, was observed
by thousands of pilgrims drawn from across the universal Church, who huddled under
umbrellas clutching candles that wavered in the onslaught of driving rain.
Watching
as the stations wound around the ancient stone, The Holy Father only took up the cross
at the end of the procession. It was delivered him by his Vicar for Rome, Cardinal
Camillo Ruini. Before the cardinal it had been carried through the crowds by an African
nun from Burkina Faso, a family from Rome, a woman on a wheelchair, two friars from
the Custody of the Holy Land, and Chinese man and woman bearing witness of the Church’s
presence in that country, also evoked in the reflections of Archbishop of Hong Kong
Cardinal Joseph Zen who wrote the meditations for the rite.
In the Pope’s
own words Good Friday “ends in the silence of meditation and prayer.” He asked the
question whether we can one remain indifferent before the death of the son of God,
urging that today’s world turn its eyes, often distracted by dispersive and ephemeral
earthly interests, towards Christ”.
“Through the cross’ painful journey,”
the Pope continued, “men in every era, reconciled and redeemed by the blood of Christ,
have become God’s friends. Friend, Jesus called Judas, when he addressed him in a
last dramatic appeal to conversion. Friend, he calls each one of us, because he is
a true friend to all of us. Sadly, we cannot always perceive the depth of God’s unbound
love for us. For him, no differences of race and culture exist. Jesus Christ died
to release the whole of humanity from the ignorance of God, and the enslavement to
sin.”
Pope Benedict XVI continued “Many are those who in our age do not
know God, who cannot find him in the crucified Christ. Many are those who wish to
seek freedom by excluding God; there are many who believe that they do not need God”.
Each station of the Cross was punctuated by meditations written by Cardinal
Zen, which revoked the suffering and sacrifice of modern day martyrs who are persecuted
for the faith. In his meditation for the first station -- "Jesus in the Garden of
Gethsemane" -- Cardinal Zen drew from Pope Benedict's June letter to Chinese Catholics
to remind people that in many parts of the world, the church "is going through the
dark times of persecution."
Cardinal Zen prayed in his meditation for the
fifth station -- "Jesus is judged by Pilate" -- that God would give leaders "the courage
to respect religious freedom." Cardinal Zen prayed the Lord would awaken the consciences
of the many people in power so that they "recognize the innocence of (Christ's) followers.
Give them courage to respect religious freedom." The cardinal decried the use of psychological
and physical torture and wrote that Christ is able to bring meaning to and make all
suffering holy.
In his meditation for the 14th, and last, station -- "Jesus
is placed in the tomb" -- the cardinal recalled the long wait between Jesus' burial
and his resurrection three days later. Even his strongest disciples grew weary in
waiting”. He asked, "Are we not right in being in a hurry" and wanting to see an
immediate victory of Christ over evil?
Cardinal Zen said perhaps "it is
our victory we are eager to witness" and prayed for perseverance and patience, reminding
the faithful that God promised to be with his children to the end of time. Closing
the ceremony to the silence and waiting of Holy Saturday Pope Benedict concluded: After
experiencing Jesus’ passion tonight, let his sacrifice on the cross concern us, let
us let him unsettle our human certainties; let us open our heart to him; Jesus is
the truth that makes us free to love; let us not fear. Dying, the Lord destroyed the
old sin and saved the sinners, that is all of us.” “On the cross the Lord gave us
back the dignity that belongs to us.”