Good Friday Service at St Mary's Cathedral

article by ds and 

photos by courtesy of Raymond Jim

Sandakan : Yesterday, 6th April 2012 was Good Friday. There was no mass anywhere in the world for we were identifying with the death and burial of Jesus by being deprived of His Eucharistic presence. The four fold Good Friday service held at St Mary's Cathedral and in other Churches featured the Gospel reading of the Passion, solemn general intercessions, veneration of the Cross and entering into sacramental communion with the Lord. The 5.00 pm English service was led by Bishop Julius Dusin Gitom at the packed Cathedral.

Bishop Julius in his homily highlighted the historical fact of how the powerful kings who reign from the throne of those days had plotted to get rid of Jesus for they considered Him as a threat to their authority and power. They had wanted to kill him so that upon death He would be wiped off and forgotten. They were wrong. Instead of Jesus being forgotten, the kings who killed him were the ones being taken off and disappeared from the stage. The Crucified Christ remains reigning with majesty, yesterday, today and forever, on the Cross. On this day, millions throughout the world  came to venerate Christ as King and Savior.

The prelate went on to say that the one word which befits the description of the Crucified Christ is 'Love', God's own unconditional and boundless love. The word is defined in different ways by different people. However, it is being abused and misused. Love in its purest form is seen through Christ,bearing God's love.

He continued, 'In our own times, we become like Pilate continuing to crucify Christ again and again. We are also part of the crowd in Jerusalem on Good Friday, irresponsible, refuse to be involved, just look on and allow Him, an innocent man to be murdered.' 

He concluded, 'As we come forward to venerate the Cross today on which Jesus died, we are to be reminded that though we are not saintly people, we will experience and feel the beauty of His love as we embrace Him. No matter how sinful we are, Jesus still loves us. We are in need of His redeeming love. Pray that the Lord gives us strength to be more faithful to Him than what we had been before'

In the general intercessions that followed, the faithful prayed for the Church, the Pope. clergy and laity, catechumens, Christian unity, the Jewish people, those who had yet to know Christ, those who do not believe God, all in the public office and those in need.