Adoration or Veneration of the Cross

[myjanuarypink]

Venerate as defined in the free online dictionary, is to regard with respect, reverence, or heartfelt deference. While, adore according to thinkexist.com is to worship with profound reverence; to love in the highest degree; to regard with the utmost esteem and affection; to idolize

During Good Fridays, devouted Roman Catholics flock to the church to attend and hear the "Seven Last Words" and the "Adoration or Veneration of the Cross". Good Friday, the day on which we commemorate the death of our Lord, Jesus Christ. As part of our Good Friday liturgy, after we listen to an account of Jesus’ passion, we venerate the cross. One by one, those attending the service come up an venerate the cross in the manner of their choosing, some kissing it, some embracing it, some touching it with with their hands, others kneeling or prostrating before it while others say a prayer while kissing and touching the cross.

We say that we venerate the “wood of the cross.” But its not, of course, that actual cross that we kiss, or embrace or kneel before in church that is the actual object of our veneration. It is not the cross itself, but what is signifies or stands for to us as Christians.

Adoration or veneration of an image or representation of Christ’s cross does not mean that we actually adore the material image itself, of course, but rather what it represents. In humbly kneeling going to the altar before the crucifix and kissing it we are paying the highest honor to our Lord’s cross as the instrument of our salvation. Because the Cross is inseparable from His sacrifice, in reverencing His Cross we, in effect, adore Christ. Thus we affirm: “We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee because by Thy Holy Cross Thou has Redeemed the World.”

Thus, in the solemn ritual, the church perform each year, we express our adoration of Christ, whose death allows us to live. One of the things we might reflect and ponder on as we venerate the cross is the staggering reality, that Christ didn’t just die for mankind, He died for each of us.

"We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You, because by Your Holy Cross, You have redeemed the world". Good Friday comes. There are no church bells summoning the faithful to gather. Yet they are drawn in. They are drawn to a place where they must gaze upon the suffering of Jesus and not look away. On this day, everything in the church focuses on the Pasch (passage) of the Crucifixion. Even for those who don't know why, there is something clearly different about this day. There is no music, no Altar cloth, no candle burning near the Tabernacle, and no Mass.

There is traditionally no music (other than chanting) in Catholic churches on Good Friday. Song is a sign of joy. Good Friday is a time of sorrow. The silence is broken only with prayer, scriptural readings, chanting and Stations of the Cross.

I also wanted to share this to all of you, yesterday, i did the kneeling while going to the altar and kissed and touched the holy cross at Magdalena Church in Magdalena Church in the province of Laguna...It was spritually fulfillling.

[Edwin]

The cross of Jesus Christ represents something that is dear to all Christian believers. Jesus died on the cross for our sins that we might be justified before God; made righteous just as if we had not sinned. Jesus died so that we won't have to die spiritually. The sentence of death for sins is upon every man and woman in the world. Jesus took that sentence of death for us, now we don't have to die eternally if we will accept what Jesus did for us. He died for us, and we die to sin because Jesus has set us free. Jesus rose again from the grave so that we can rise to newness of life with Him. The cross was an ugly symbol of death for terrible crimes, but Jesus died on one of those crosses, and now it is a symbol of something that is beautiful to every believing Christian. We have hope because Jesus died and rose again. Because He lives, we live also! Thank you, Jesus for your sacrifice for us, and for me!