Hundreds gathered at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington for the Friday of the Passion of the Lord April 3.
“There are two realities, which most likely all of us in the cathedral today are embracing, if not now, then certainly at some point in our lives,” Bishop Michael F. Burbidge said in his homily. “The first is that the Lord has asked us to carry a cross and probably one we did not expect nor desire. The second reality is that we have been hurt, offended or misjudged by others.”
But on Good Friday, Jesus “perfectly teaches us how to respond to both realities.” Just as Jesus endured his cross and suffering with patience, we likewise should follow his example, Bishop Burbidge said. “As you soon come forward to venerate the cross on which hung the Savior of the World, pray for the grace not only to surrender to God’s will, to unite your sufferings to the Lord and to take up your cross, but to do so without complaint and with patient endurance,” he said.
We have all been hurt by others, but it is Jesus who shows us the path to healing, Bishop Burbidge said. “It is not always easy to forgive but it is always possible with God’s help.
“As you soon come forward to venerate the cross, ask for the grace you need to let go of bitterness and grudges, to deal patiently with others and to forgive them as the Lord has forgiven us,” he said. “It is the perfection of love.”
The faithful then lined up to venerate the large crucifix with a touch or a kiss.
