CHARLOTTE — In a silent procession to begin the Good Friday liturgy, Bishop Jugis entered St. Patrick Cathedral and lay prostrate before the sanctuary steps, humbling himself before God and in the presence of the faithful. This annual service held at 3 p.m., the hour Jesus Christ died on the cross, recalled the sacrifice of God’s only begotten Son for the salvation of souls.
The liturgy began with the reading of the Passion narrated by transitional Deacon Christopher Bond, with Deacon Brian McNulty as the voice, Bishop Jugis as Jesus and the congregation responding as the crowd. They took those gathered on the tortuous journey Christ suffered from the Garden of Gethsemane through His crucifixion on Golgotha.
“Have you ever taken the time to take a good look at the crucifix that you have in your home? Especially if you are having a particularly difficult time or a rough day, to find strength or courage just by your union with the Lord crucified?” Bishop Jugis asked during his homily.
“The word ‘behold’ appears several times today in this celebration of the Passion of the Lord,” he noted. “The invitation to behold, or to take a good look at – just as you would take a good look at the crucifix. That word behold used in today’s liturgy receives many different responses from the various audiences to which it is addressed.”
Bishop Jugis elaborated by pointing out that Pontius Pilate, when he brings Jesus out and displays Him on the judge’s bench, says to the mob, “Behold your king.” And the crowd responds, “Take Him away, crucify Him!”
“Behold Him, look at Him, your king,” Pilate says. And the crowd answers back, “No!”
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Jesus uses the same word “behold” later on, as He hangs on the cross. As He tells His disciple to “behold” his mother, the disciple responds: Yes! “Seeing His mother and His disciple there whom He loved, He says to His mother, ‘Woman, behold your son.’ And then to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.”
In today’s secularized world, Bishop Jugis noted, society gives the same negative response when Christians say, “Behold your King. Behold Jesus. Behold His teachings and His Church’s teachings.”
“Just as in Pilate’s time, the mob responds, ‘Take Him away and crucify Him,’” Bishop Jugis said.
In contrast, when a believer is asked to “behold,” the response is very different, he continued. “In this liturgy today, we are asked three times to behold: ‘Behold the Cross. Behold the wood of the Cross on which hung the Salvation of the World,’ ” Bishop Jugis said. “Later on, at Communion time, we will be asked: Now, behold the Lamb of God who is really present! and we respond with humility and love."
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
Faithful prayed the Stations of the Cross at St. Joseph Vietnamese Church in Charlotte. (By Tara Heilingoetter)
Faithful prayed the Stations of the Cross at St. Joseph Vietnamese Church in Charlotte. (By Tara Heilingoetter)
Faithful prayed the Stations of the Cross at St. Joseph Vietnamese Church in Charlotte. (By Tara Heilingoetter)
Parishioners of St. Francis of Assisi in Jefferson pray the Way of the Cross in outdoor prayer garden with Fr. James, pastor. (By Patrick Hession)
FOREST CITY — Veneration of the Cross and outdoor Stations of the Cross by Spanish Community on Good Friday at Immaculate Conception. (By Giuliana Polinari Riley)
CHARLOTTE — St. Matthew Church. (By Tara Heilingoetter)
CHARLOTTE — St. Matthew Church. (By Tara Heilingoetter)
CHARLOTTE — St. Matthew Church. (By Tara Heilingoetter)
Annual Hispanic Via Crucis at Sacred Heart Church. (By Bill Washington)
Annual Hispanic Via Crucis at Sacred Heart Church. (By Bill Washington)
BOONE — St. Elizabeth Church. (By Amber Mellon)
HUNTERSVILLE — Parishioners prayed the Stations of the Cross, then the Passion and then the Divine Mercy and Veneration of the Cross. (By Amy Burger)
HUNTERSVILLE — Parishioners prayed the Stations of the Cross, then the Passion and then the Divine Mercy and Veneration of the Cross. (By Amy Burger)
HUNTERSVILLE — Parishioners prayed the Stations of the Cross, then the Passion and then the Divine Mercy and Veneration of the Cross. (By Amy Burger)
HUNTERSVILLE — Parishioners prayed the Stations of the Cross, then the Passion and then the Divine Mercy and Veneration of the Cross. (By Amy Burger)
HUNTERSVILLE — Parishioners prayed the Stations of the Cross, then the Passion and then the Divine Mercy and Veneration of the Cross. (By Amy Burger)
FRANKLIN — Youth performance of the living Stations of the Cross at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Franklin. (Photo by Vickie Provost)
FRANKLIN — Youth performance of the living Stations of the Cross at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Franklin. (Photo by Vickie Provost)
FRANKLIN — Youth performance of the living Stations of the Cross at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Franklin. (Photo by Vickie Provost)
CHARLOTTE — For a second consecutive day, approximately 200 faithful attended the diocese’s first Traditional Latin Easter Triduum on Good Friday. (By John Cosmas)
Father Jason Barone led the solemn liturgy and was joined by Father Joseph Matlak, the chaplain for the Holy Trinity Middle School to chant the Passio Domini (Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ) in Latin. (By John Cosmas)
Afterwards the faithful venerated the Cross while the St. Ann’s schola and choir chanted the Improperia (Good Friday Reproaches), followed by reception of Holy Communion. (By John Cosmas)
The Triduum concludes with the Saturday Easter Vigil at 8pm at Charlotte Catholic High School. (By Mike FitzGerald)
Passion Service Sacred Heart with Father John Eckert (By Bill Washington)
CHARLOTTE — Father Patrick Hoare and parishioners at St. John Neumann perform a Stations of the Cross. (By John Cosmas)
KERNSERSVILLE — Cross Walk through downtown. (By Paul Doizé)
KING —. Several middle and high school artists from the Good Shepherd drew each of the stations in the parking lot behind the church. Father Basil Sede and Deacon Davis Boisey led the congregants through the stations. (By Annette Tenny)
(By Jose Sanchez)
BOONVILLE — Divine Redeemer Church (By Sergio Lopez)
‘What lesson will Jesus teach you?’
‘What lesson will Jesus teach you?’
