The Rood

The cardinal who officiated today’s Good Friday service mentioned a centuries old poem about the cross—The Dream of the Rood. I searched for it and found it here. It speaks about two images of Our Lord’s cross: a bejeweled image and another that is stained with blood. We all have our different versions of suffering at this moment—some more benign and others which are excruciatingly painful. What the Cardinal stated in his homily was that Our Lord has suffered in every humanly way possible despite being truthful and full of compassion and love. Yet, this laying down of Christ’s life for the salvation of all helps us remember that there is something beautiful that comes out of sacrifice. As in the case of the current scourge, those who are suffering or have passed were cared for by medical experts who are strangers to them. That in situations where there is human suffering, there are people who willingly share themselves in some way without any self-serving motive. The quiet and anonymous help that people impart will be remembered by Our Lord.

I still have much to learn about how to love my neighbour. As Francis Fernandez quoted St. Escriva in today’s reflection (In conversation with God vol. 2), “Love sacrifice; it is a fountain of interior life. Love the Cross, which is an altar of sacrifice. Love pain, until you drink, as Christ did, the very dregs of the chalice.”

When you feel chastised, oppressed, excluded, or wrongfully judged for being true...remember that what other people think of you does not matter. If people think well of you for superficial reasons, that doesn’t matter as well. What matters is what you do and what you think when no one can see you and whether those would please The Lord and help you attain eternal life.

On Good Friday, our general intercessions include the Pope, the Church, the laity, political figures, the scourge, the Jewish people who first heard God’s word through Abraham, those who do not recognize Christ, and those who do not recognize God. In spite of my imperfections, your imperfections, our moral frailty—every new day is an opportunity to rise up and strive to fulfill our purpose: to love one another.