Veneration of the Cross... O my people...

O my people, what have I done to thee, or in what have I grieved thee? Answer Me. Because I brought thee out of the land of Egypt, thou hast prepared a cross for thy Savior.

O Holy God! O Holy Mighty One! O Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us.

Because I was thy guide through the desert for forty years, and fed thee with manna, and brought thee into an excellent land, thou hast prepared a cross for thy Savior.

O Holy God! O Holy Mighty One! O Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us.

What more should I have done to thee, and have not done? I have planted thee for My most beautiful vineyard: and thou hast proved very bitter to Me, for in My thirst thou gavest Me vinegar to drink; and didst pierce the side of thy Savior with a spear.

O Holy God! O Holy Mighty One! O Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us.

For thy sake I scourged Egypt with her first-born; and thou hast delivered Me up to be scourged.

O my people, what have done to thee, or in what have I grieved thee? Answer Me.

I led thee out of Egypt, having drowned the Pharoah in the Red Sea; and thou hast delivered Me up to the chief priests.

O my people, what have done to thee, or in what have I grieved thee? Answer Me.

I opened the sea before thee; and thou hast opened My side with a spear.

O my people, what have done to thee, or in what have I grieved thee? Answer Me.

I went before thee in a pillar of cloud; and thou hast brought Me to the court of Pilate.

O my people, what have done to thee, or in what have I grieved thee? Answer Me.

I fed thee with manna in the desert; and thou hast beaten Me with buffets and stripes.

O my people, what have done to thee, or in what have I grieved thee? Answer Me.

I gave thee wholesome water to drink out of the rock, and thou hast given for My drink gall and vinegar.

O my people, what have done to thee, or in what have I grieved thee? Answer Me.

For thy sake I smote the kings of Chanaan; and thou has smitten My head with a reed.

O my people, what have done to thee, or in what have I grieved thee? Answer Me.

I gave thee a royal scepter; and thou hast given to My head a crown of thorns.

O my people, what have done to thee, or in what have I grieved thee? Answer Me.

With great might I raised thee on high; and thou hast hanged Me on the gibbet of the cross.

O my people, what have I done to thee, or in what have I grieved thee? Answer Me.

It is easy to forget about going to the Veneration of the Cross on Good Friday. Holy Thursday has all the images that are memorable with the washing of the feet, the procession of the Holy Eucharist, Adoration, and more.

When it comes to the Veneration of the Cross, I only ever remember that everyone goes up to kiss the cross. Oh, right, and there is communion, though not Mass, using hosts that were consecrated on Holy Thursday. It is only when the service is in progress that I remember, "Oh yes, the priests fully prostrate themselves before the altar ... oh yes, the reading of St. John's passion gospel ... oh, yes, and now we kneel and now we stand, over and over..." (as we pray for the entire world, bit by bit, beginning with the Catholic church and working our way outward to those who don't believe in God at all).

I actually was grateful for all that standing and kneeling as I came wide awake at 4:00 on Friday morning and was in great danger of nodding off during the homily, though Fr. S. was probably the best I've ever heard in terms of being focused and giving a good message. We then went into the long prayer and the constant physical activity woke me up. (Though I must add a warning to the ladies that it is highly recommended not to cut your knee shaving your legs on the morning of all that kneeling. Oy veh!)

This year the Gospel of the Passion was chanted by three choir members dressed in cassocks (or whatever one calls those lacy white garments over the black robes). It was compelling, beautiful, and forced us to slow down and really absorb what those very familiar passages really meant to us.

A large cross is held by the priest and brought to the front of the church with stops in the back, middle and front, while he sings, "Behold the wood of the cross on which hung the savior of the world!" Choir and congregation respond, "Come, let us worship." This was sung by Fr. L. from the choir loft and his voice had a strength and range that was beautiful and moving. During the veneration, the choir sang traditional chants, and I have never heard them sing more beautifully. We are very blessed by their donation of their considerable talents, as well as those of our music director who exhorts them to such heights. This morning, over and over, my memory sings to me those beautiful tones, "O my people, o my church ..."

It is a somber but moving thing to go forward and kiss the cross, to venerate it as the instrument that Christ used to save us. It is also inspirational to watch the long lines of people coming forward to kiss the cross, some matter of factly, some weeping. Again I was so saddened but yet so grateful and glad that Christ had given Himself for me. In the midst of a sad period, into my head popped the thought, "Julie, I wanted to give you freedom."

And, truly he has. I only wish that I used my freedom better. This is another power of the Triduum, to reinvigorate our resolutions to follow a higher path, keeping our eyes on Christ as our model and guide.

I strongly encourage anyone who has not experienced this to consider going next year. In fact, I encourage anyone who wants to be immersed in the truth and depth of the Passion and the soaring joy of Easter to attend both Holy Thursday and Good Friday at a Catholic church, whether you are Catholic or not. (Just don't take communion; you can go to the altar to be blessed instead). Believe me, when I say that is why so many people, myself included, consider the Triduum to be the most beautiful and uplifting services of the entire year (Triduum: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Saturday Vigil ... I admit I skip the Saturday Vigil and go on Easter Sunday morning instead).