Great Friday. A Reflection on the Sacrifice of Christ

Sermon Before the Holy Shroud

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Today, dear brothers and sisters, we stand before a great mystery — before the Holy Shroud, before the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, taken down from the Cross and laid in the tomb. Great Friday is not just another day in the Church calendar. It is a day when every Christian heart must stop, become silent, and reflect deeply. This is the day when we do not simply come to church — we come to Golgotha.

The Holy Church teaches us that on this day every Christian should come and bow before the body of the Savior. Not out of habit, not formally, but with deep reverence. Because before us is not just a symbol or an image, but a reminder of a real sacrifice — of God who became man and willingly accepted death for each one of us.

When I was preparing for this service, searching through old service books, I found many of them stained with wax and paraffin. These marks are not accidental.

And then the heart begins to ask: where are those people today? Where is that spirit of prayer? Where is the church filled with people who could not stay away on Great Friday? Today we often see a different picture. Churches are half empty. Young people do not come. People are busy, distracted, and God is often left for later.

But can there really be a “later” when we speak about the sacrifice of Christ? Can there be anything more important than coming to bow before the One who gave His life for us? Great Friday is the day when we must leave everything and come. Because if we do not find time for God, a time may come when God will no longer have a place in our lives.

Our ancestors, who came here to Canada, lived in very difficult conditions. Many of them lived in dugouts, worked hard, and struggled just to survive. But even then, the first thing they built was a church. Because Christ lived in their hearts. They understood that without God there is no true life.

And especially during Holy Week, they left everything and came to church. They did not just attend — they lived these moments. They did not just listen — they experienced the suffering of Christ. For them, it was not a story. It was a living reality.

And today we must ask ourselves: what will we pass on to our children? If we do not come, if we do not show them by example, if we do not teach them to stop and reflect on the sacrifice of Christ — will they come? Or will the next generation lose the Church completely?

Faith is not passed by words — it is passed by example. A child will not do what we say. A child will do what we do. And if Christ is not truly important in our life, He will not be important in theirs.

History clearly shows us — both in the Bible and in human life — that a people who turn away from God begin to destroy themselves. First spiritually, then morally, and then even physically. Without God, a person loses meaning, loses direction, loses strength.

So today, standing before the Holy Shroud, we are called not just to look — but to reflect. Not just to remember — but to feel. Not just to be present — but to be with Christ. To see His wounds, His suffering, His love — and to ask ourselves: what am I doing in response?

May this day not be just a tradition for us, but a moment of truth. May it bring us back to God. May it teach us to love, to value, and to remember. And as we bow before the Holy Shroud, let us say from the depths of our hearts:

“Lord, I do not want to turn away from You. Help me to remain with You — today and always.” Amen.

 Fr. Ivan Symchyna