THE VIOLENCE & GLORY OF THE CROSS
SERMON PREACHED BY FR. TONY NOBLE ON GOOD FRIDAY 2009
Galatians 6:14 “Far be it for me to glory, except in the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ.”
We have arrived at the foot of the Cross. we have come to that great mystery which is at the centre of the Christian faith. For Saint Paul it was indeed at the centre of everything – and it was the focus of his preaching.
In Corinthians 1:23 he says: “We preach the Christ Crucified”. And that is why at every Christian pulpit there is a crucifix standing behind or near. We preachers are not allowed to forget it – nor are those who hear those preachers.
But at this moment the crucifix, as well as the one above the High Altar, is covered with a black veil. Perhaps the reality of the crucifix today is too much for us to bear? Perhaps the cost of the Cross, or the sight of it, is too much to look at or contemplate? Shortly that cost of the Cross and that reality will confront us as a cross is brought into the church, and we are invited to venerate that same wood of the cross.
It is an ancient ceremony going back to when they first found the true relic of the Cross in Jerusalem in the fourth century. I am always moved as I see my parishioners humbling themselves, coming forward to venerate the cross. It requires both courage and devotion – something not easily expressed in church. Some of you will choose not to venerate the cross because it is too confronting.
In recent years we have heard complaints that the Christian crucifix is too violent a thing, particularly for young people. It is a symbol, some people suggest, of violence and degradation, that they should be avoided. In Bavaria they tried to ban crucifixes from the schools. Oh I wish we had that problem here in the schools of the US!
Of course an empty cross proclaims the Resurrection. “He is not here, he is Risen”. And an empty cross is much nicer and easier to look at. But, “Come down from the Cross” is something that Jesus would not do – though they tempted him and taunted him on that day.
Some people may be tempted to ask: “Was such a violent death as we see on the crucifix necessary?” “Did Jesus really have to do that, and go down that path?”
We may be tempted to ask that – but we can not deny the reality of the Cross. Nor how central it is to churches, to Christians, and to our very faith.
In fact as it was the destiny of Jesus to die on a Cross. He died as a common criminal, not as a hero – so that the common people of God might have him as more than a hero.
The first hint of his destiny was when he was born. You will remember that one of the wise-men brought a gift of myrrh. It was not just a symbol of death, but a symbol of anointing for burial – and a symbol of sacrifice. Christ was to die not as a hero, but as a sacrifice.
Then 30 years later, John Baptist announced that he was the Lamb of God. On Jordan’s bank the sacrificial lamb who was to take away the sins of the world is presented to the people, who knew all about sacrificial lambs, knew about the Lamb of God.
As Jesus gathered his disciples and taught them – he gave hints and even predictions of this last end on a cross.
Sometimes it was in a moment of glory – like on the Mount of Transfiguration, when he told them: “Tell no man about the vision until the Son of Man has risen from the dead”.
Sometimes it was as the heart of the matter – like when Peter was told that he would deny Christ.
Sometimes it was without hesitation – “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up again”.
And sometimes he spoke in images – like when he talked about the serpent Moses lifted up in the desert.
Well now he is lifted up. This is the moment thought to be Satan’s hour – and so it seemed.
Those who think that the Cross is too violent for a loving God and a loving faith have good reason to think that – except that the violence of the cross represents the violence of the world. Because of that, it is both necessary and sanctifying.
For Christ to truly be our Saviour, he has to go through the whole evil of the world, including the violence that men do to men. In the midst of this world’s injustice and violence the Crucified Saviour is nothing less than the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
For 40 days of Lent we, the people of God, have walked with Jesus as he marched to this hour. We knew it was his destiny. We know it is for salvation of the world. Therefore today is called Good Friday – a day set apart from all other days. But it is not set apart from last night, nor tomorrow night. And the Cross is central to the Last Supper and the Resurrection dawn.
These three days set before us the mystery of our salvation and the central events of our faith. They present to us those events by which Jesus becomes the Saviour of the world.
Salvation was not won by the teachings of Jesus, salvation was not won by his healings not by his miracles. Salvation was won by what happened between Maundy Thursday and Easter morning
So tonight we receive Holy Communion from the Sacrament reserved at last night’s Mass. This is so that the celebration of the death of Christ is linked to the Last Supper and his commandment to love – just as surely as it looks forward to the night of Christ’s Resurrection.
We are set tonight between those two events. Almost, we might say, between earth and heaven. Anyone on earth can see an empty cross – only faith can take you there to the Saviour, who is also the Risen Christ.
So with Saint Paul we do say: “Far be it from me to glory, except in the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ.”