On Good Friday, we enter with the Lord into Jerusalem to be present with him as he suffers, to stand with Mary as the beloved disciple at the foot of the cross, to weep by the tomb as the stone is rolled in place, and to rejoice with the heavenly Powers and all the angelic hosts when Christ, rising in glory, restores our life.
The adoration of the cross begins at the door of the church, in the middle of the church and before entering the sanctuary. At each point the celebrant makes a decree, ” This is the wood of the cross, on which hung the Savior of the world, come let us adore him” The priest or deacon then carries the cross to the entrance of the sanctuary. (GF, no. 17)
As we prepare to venerate the cross. we acclaim, “Behold the wood of the cross, on which hung the savior of the world.” One of the antiphons that might be sung as we approach explains that we adore the Cross, praising and glorifying the Resurrection, noting that “because of the wood of a tree / joy has come to the whole world.” So we prayed in the Solemn Intercessions with a vision of Paschal Joy, asking that God cleans the world of all errors, banish disease, drive out hunger, unlock prisons, loosen fetters, granting safety to travelers, return to pilgrims, health to the sick and salvation to the dying. Such a vision is the gift and grace of God. We who are the beloved disciples honor the death of Jesus today in hope of our own resurrection; we ask that pardon come, comfort be given, holy faith increase, and everlasting salvation be made secure.
The first person to adore the Cross is the priest celebrant. If circumstances suggest, he takes off his chasuble and his shoes. The clergy, lay ministers and the faithful then approach (GF, no.18).
The personal adoration of the cross is an important feature in this celebration and every effort should be made to achieve it.