During his homily, Bishop Nelson Perez asked the faithful to reflect upon the meaning of the cross and to think as to why one would venerate it.
“It is a symbol of power, not weakness. It is a symbol of victory, not failure. It is the ultimate symbol of what love actually is,” said Bishop Perez.
Jesus said that there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for a friend. “It sounds great. And then he went and did it,” he concluded.
Following a reading of the Passion, the faithful present were invited to venerate a large wooden cross placed in the cathedral’s cross aisle. While no Mass takes place on Good Friday, communion that was consecrated at the previous evening’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper is distributed to the faithful. The congregation disperses in silence in anticipation of the Easter Vigil.