Holy Thursday – Twelve Gospels (Page 7 of 7)

Conclusions

The following points can serve as a summary to this brief introduction to the Matins of Great and Holy Friday.

1) The Passions of Jesus Christ can never be viewed by the Orthodox Christian as but past events having no bearing on his life today. Each year the liturgical experience of the Matins of Holy Friday has us actually accompanying Christ along the road of His Passion.

2) This experience puts us within the personalities and events of the Passions and confronts us with moment after moment of judgment upon ourselves.

3) We are also called upon to clearly understand the nature and ultimate purpose of the Passions. Through them salvation becomes a real possibility for us. Moreover, the example of the agony experienced by Christ in this world shows us most clearly that “for him, who above all things seeks the Kingdom of Heaven, transfiguration begins in this life on earth.”*

 

^{by Very Rev. Paul Lazor}