An initiative of the Association Mary of Nazareth  Subscribe April 3 – Good Friday - Our Lady of the Cross (Italy, 1490)  A Virgin, wood, and death have become the instruments of our victory A virgin, wood, and death were the means and instruments of our defeat. The virgin was Eve who had not yet known Adam; the wood was the tree, and death the punishment imposed on the first man. A virgin, wood, and death, which had been the means and instruments of our defeat, became the means and instruments of our victory. Mary replaced Eve; the wood of the cross replaced the wood of the tree of knowledge of good and evil; the death of Jesus Christ replaced the death of Adam. Russian icon with 5 themes: The Holy Trinity of New Testament; Good Felon enters in Heaven; Adam, Eva and others follows Jesus from Hell to Heaven; Harrowing of Hell; Entombment of Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia) You can see that the devil was defeated by the same means with which he had triumphed. As the devil had overthrown Adam with the wood of the tree, Jesus Christ struck the devil with the wood of the cross. The wood of the tree had thrown men into the abyss, the wood of the cross pulled them out. The wood of the cross stripped of his weapons the one who had vanquished man, and showed his defeat to all the earth. Adam's death passed upon those who came after him; the death of Jesus Christ brought back to life those who were born before him. We have passed from death to immortality. Such are the accomplishments and benefits of the cross. Saint John Chrysostom Excerpts from a Sermon for Good Friday of the year 392 Let’s pray together  Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen.   . Share A Moment with Mary and give your loved ones the opportunity to discover a new aspect of the mystery of the Mother of God each day.