A New Image for Good Friday

On the First Sunday of Lent, I visited the Metropolitan Cathedral in Mexico City. I saw a most unusual crucifix. It is sometimes called the black Christ (Cristo Negro), but most often is referred to as the Miraculous Cross of Poison.

The cross was originally like white marble, fashioned in the 1600s for the Porta Coeli (Heaven’s Gate) Dominican seminary. How did the cross turn ebony black?

The accounts vary but agree that there was a man who had a particular devotion to this near-life-sized crucifix. He would faithfully kiss the feet of the corpus after Mass. The man had an enemy who wanted him dead. His enemy devised a clever means to kill him. He rubbed poison on the feet of the crucifix.

The Lord foiled the enemy’s plot. When the man came to kiss the cross, the body absorbed the poison and turned black. Some accounts go even further and say that the knees twisted away to avoid the man’s kiss, which is why the legs turn away at an awkward angle.

I journeyed with this legendary cross throughout Lent. Sins are like a poison. I asked myself, “What ‘poison’ does Jesus need to absorb for me?” The answer came quickly: my poisonous thoughts. Generated by an overactive ego, these thoughts bristle at the slightest offense, and more recently have taken a liking to wallow in self-pity. They take the form of a host of ‘un’ feelings. Unheard. Unappreciated. Unneeded. Uninvited. At times unloved.

As I gazed at the cross of poison and reflected upon its significance throughout Lent, I could almost hear the crucifix say, “Give these to me. Let me absorb your poisonous thoughts.”

As I gradually released the poison to the Lord, my deafness was cured. I could hear the voice of the Father, “You are my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” I hear you. I appreciate you. I need you. I love you.

St. Peter said, “He bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live.” (1 Pet 2:24a) In other words, he absorbed my poison so I might live unencumbered by resentment.

The Good Friday service for Catholics includes a time to adore the cross. I’ll have an opportunity to come forward. Like the man in the story, I will kiss the feet of Jesus. This year, I have a new image. I bring with me all those poisonous thoughts that separate me from God.

I can imagine the Lord taking these poisonous thoughts from me. They sadly transform the Lord’s beautiful white corpus to ebony. But St. Peter continued with Good Friday’s message of hope: “By his wounds, you have been healed.” (1 Pet 2:24c)

May you have a holy Holy Week.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin,
so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
(1 Cor 5:21)