On this most solemn day of the Church’s liturgical year, the Cathedral Church of Our Lady Immaculate and St Thomas of Canterbury was filled with silence, reverence, and deep prayer as the faithful gathered for the Celebration of the Passion of the Lord on Good Friday.
Bishop David Oakley presided over the liturgy, leading the congregation through the stark beauty of the ancient rites: the reading of the Passion according to St John, the solemn intercessions, the veneration of the cross, and the distribution of Holy Communion. In his homily, Bishop David offered a profound reflection on the meaning of Christ’s suffering and death.
He invited all present to enter into the mystery of the cross not as distant observers but as disciples drawn close to the heart of the Saviour:
“As you listen to this, I want you to imagine you are resting your head on the breast of our Lord during yesterday evening’s Last Supper meal. Imagine you are like St. John… Just think for a moment about what you are hearing. This is the heartbeat of God’s very own beloved Son.”
The bishop spoke of the cross not simply as a place of agony, but as the throne of divine mercy and love, from which flows the hope of eternal life:
“Death imagined it had defeated all this love for us. But this is a celebration. A celebration of the Passion of the Lord… Good Friday puts so much into perspective. Being a follower of Jesus is not about struggling through the quicksands of this life with the constant fear of drowning. Because of Good Friday, our hope in heavenly salvation is for sure.”
Bishop David encouraged the faithful to see the veneration of the cross as a deeply personal act—a moment to bring before Christ all that burdens the heart and to find in Him the strength to persevere:
“There may be lots of things wrong with our discipleship. There will be days we wish we had behaved differently… But today, let’s have the confidence to look at all this in the face. Please don’t be tempted to bury it all. Just face it honestly and then embrace the cross.”
As the congregation came forward in silence to venerate the wood of the cross, the sacred stillness spoke volumes. The cross stood at the centre, not just of the sanctuary, but of each heart present—reminding all that it is through Christ’s Passion that the door to eternal life has been opened.
The Cathedral community now turns with hope-filled expectation toward the joy of Easter, trusting that the heart of Jesus, once pierced and lifeless, will soon beat again with the fullness of resurrected glory.
Pictures form the service can be viewed here
Listen to Bishop David’s homily here:
Read the full text of the homily below
In a short while, we will come forward in procession to make our own personal reverence to the wood of the cross. There may be many thoughts and feelings in our heart at this moment. We may have a powerful sense of our own unworthiness. Struggle to live as Jesus disciples. And maybe we are filled with overflowing gratitude for what the Lord has done for us. My prayer is that each one of us will be able to lift our eyes from ourselves and to see clearly what majesty is found on the cross of Calvary in this moment.
As you are listening to this, I want you to imagine you are resting your head on the breast of our Lord during yesterday evening’s Last Supper meal. Imagine you are like St. John. Just think for a moment about what you are listening to. There are, of course, some words we treasure and are invited to keep in memory for all time. This is my body which is given for you. This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. But there is something more you are hearing as you rest your head on Jesus breast. This is the heartbeat of God’s very own beloved Son.
This is the heart of the Word through which everything that exists was created. Every beat of this heart is a profound beat of merciful love poured out for you. Poured out just for you. And as you reverence the cross today, as we have just heard, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear and at once there came out blood and water. This heart you have been listening to is no longer alive. Death imagined it had defeated all this love for us. But this is a celebration. A celebration of the passion of the Lord.
What on earth is there to celebrate? I wonder if we may use our imaginations again to recall another scene. The utter sigh of relief in heaven that this victory is won. The power of death and all that is associated with death, such as sin and shame, all this is defeated. Good Friday puts so much into perspective. Being a follower of Jesus is not about struggling through the quicksand’s of this life with the constant fear of drowning. Because of Good Friday, our hope in heavenly salvation is for sure. We are compelled to sing the praises of a God who has found a way to bring us home.
For on the third day, this heart will begin to beat again with unstoppable energy for the salvation of every single human being. All we are asked to do is to put our faith into the reality we are celebrating today. Jesus has overcome those obstacles to us. Marching through the doors of heaven. I remember some years ago visiting the Apostolic palace in the Vatican to meet With John Paul ii, it was an exciting moment, but an intimidating experience. A small group of us were led from room to room. I’m sure they wanted us to feel disorientated. And it worked.
Eventually, we went through yet another pair of doors. And there he was. The photograph of my personal encounter with this saint is one of my most treasured possessions. It is a precious memory. Well, there will be no photograph of that moment when we stand before the doors of heaven. But in that moment, we will recall all our memories, precious and otherwise. We will not encounter a saint. We will meet all the saints of every time and place. And of course, the great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Lamb of God. The meaning of this day, Good Friday, is all about that day when we will stand before the doors of heaven.
In the unfolding history of Israel, God had prepared us to understand the full significance of the cross. The suffering servant Isaiah speaks of shall be high and lifted up and shall be exalted. Exalted. An intriguing word when you consider what happens in Jesus passion and crucifixion. But this is true prophecy. As the prophet proclaims on the cross, Jesus had no form or majesty that we should look at Him. He was as one from whom we hid our faces. Our celebration this afternoon forces us not to turn away, for Easter does not forget this hour. The risen and glorified Lord will continue to show us his wounds.
From these wounds flows mercy and forgiveness. And so I want to take you back to the procession when, together with your fellow pilgrims of hope, you make your way towards the cross to embrace and kiss the wood on which hung the Saviour of the world. There may be lots of things wrong with our discipleship. There will be days we wish we had behaved differently. There will be ongoing situations which seek to drag us down and rob us of the gospel energy. To bear witness to this new life. It is all too easy for us to turn our faces away from the painful memories. But today, let’s have the confidence to look at all this in the face.
Please don’t be tempted to bury it all. Just face it honestly and then embrace the cross. Knowing the truth that Jesus heart continues to beat with excitement for the disciple. His grace can help you to become.
