Geoff

GOOD FRIDAY It is Good Friday and the Church mourns the death of our Savior. This is traditionally a day of sadness, spent in fasting and prayer. One tradition encourages that silence be maintained beginning at noon and lasting the three hours of Christ’s crucifixion. Good Friday is an obligatory day of fasting and abstinence. If possible, the fast on Good Friday is continued until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the "paschal fast" to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus and to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily His Resurrection. According to the Church's ancient tradition, the sacraments are not celebrated on Good Friday nor Holy Saturday. "Celebration of the Lord's Passion," traditionally known as the "Mass of the Presanctified," (although it is not a Mass) is usually celebrated around three o'clock in the afternoon, or later, depending on the needs of the parish. The altar is completely bare, with no cloths, candles nor cross. The service is divided into three parts: Liturgy of the Word, Veneration of the Cross and Holy Communion. The priest and deacons wear red or black vestments. The liturgy starts with the priests and deacons going to the altar in silence and prostrating themselves for a few moments in silent prayer, then an introductory prayer is prayed. In part one, the Liturgy of the Word, we hear the most famous of the Suffering Servant passages from Isaiah (52:13-53:12), a pre-figurement of Christ on Good Friday. Psalm 30 is the Responsorial Psalm "Father, I put my life in your hands." The Second Reading, or Epistle, is from the letter to the Hebrews, 4:14-16; 5:7-9. The Gospel Reading is the Passion of St. John. The General Intercessions conclude the Liturgy of the Word. The ten intercessions cover these areas: •For the Church •For the Pope •For the clergy and laity of the Church •For those preparing for baptism •For the unity of Christians •For the Jewish people •For those who do not believe in Christ •For those who do not believe in God •For all in public office •For those in special need Part two is the Veneration of the Cross. A veiled cross is processed through the Church, unveiled, and then venerated by the congregation. We joyfully venerate and kiss the wooden cross "on which hung the Savior of the world." During this time the "Reproaches" are usually sung or recited. Part three, Holy Communion, concludes the Celebration of the Lord's Passion. The altar is covered with a cloth and the ciboriums containing the Blessed Sacrament are brought to the altar from the place of reposition. The Our Father and the Ecce Agnus Dei ("This is the Lamb of God") are recited. The congregation receives Holy Communion, there is a "Prayer After Communion," and then a "Prayer Over the People," and everyone departs in silence.