Q: I recently had seminarians and priests ask us why does the Roman Missal say “Adoration of the Holy Cross” for Good Friday? After all we are taught that we only adore God and nothing else… why adore a cross? So, does the Roman Missal say ‘adore’ because of something to do with the translation from Latin or what is the reasoning for saying “Adoration of the Holy Cross”?
Your insight is appreciated!
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A: I treat this in my book Glory in the Cross. The Good Friday liturgy has used this language for centuries. You hear it even in the dialogue, “Behold the wood of the cross…” and “Come, let us adore.” On this one day we adore the cross that was the instrument of the passion. Our crosses on Good Friday represent the true cross, which deserves our adoration only on the day when the Blessed Sacrament is absent from our churches.