Every Catholic Church must have a crucifix - there are no "normal exceptions." Sure, the "but what if..." person can come up with some emergency, probably involving a daring secret Mass while ducking Nazi guards, where a Mass must be said without a crucifix because there is not one present. Under normal circumstances, though, if there's a Mass, there is a crucifix.
Obviously, the crucifix reminds us of the Sacrifice of Christ on Calvary, from which Our Gracious Lord gave His life "that the world might be saved through Him" (Jn. 3:17). While being a sign of a convicted criminal, the Cross is, paradoxically, an acclaimation of Christ's Lordship over the people He has redeemed. After all, Pilate did write the proclaimation: "This is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." That proclaimation is quite true, but now the plan of salvation includes both Jews and Gentiles. Christ rules from the Cross; our crucified and yet eternal Lord.
But we do not hang the crucifix in the Church only to remember the sacrifice of Christ which happened once for all 2000 years ago. This blog is primarily concerned with Sacred Time, and Sacred Time is the belief that the events that are relevant to our salvation are not just events in the past to be remembered, but active times that are experienced sacramentally now. The Mass is the re-presentation of Christ's eternal sacrifice to the Father, in expiation for our sins. It is one, single sacrifice: "this One [Jesus] offered one sacrifice for sins, and took His seat forever at the right hand of God" (Heb. 10:12). The effective sign of this sacrificial covenant is Christ's body and blood in the Eucharist: "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you" (Lk. 22:20). Itaque, the Mass is not a new sacrifice; it is the same one sacrifice of Christ which was offered 2000 years ago, but now we experience it in our own times; that is the reason that Christ ordered His Apostles - the first bishops - to "do this in memory of me" (22:19). The One Sacrifice of Christ is re-presented to the Father through the ministry of the priest, who acts in the person of Christ Himself. The Body and blood of the Lord is present in the Eucharist in the very same way as it was present as Christ hung on the Cross: "Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord" (1 Cor. 11:27).
What is the point of all of this? The Mass is a re-presentation of the One Sacrifice of Christ. The One Sacrifice of Christ was accomplished on the Cross. And so, we hang a crucifix in the Church to remind us that we are right at this moment experiencing that One Sacrifice which was accomplished on the Cross. It is as though we were standing with St. John and the Blessed Mother at the foot of Jesus' Cross, and have heard Him say the words "It is finished." The crucifix is there to help us to enter into the mystery that we are experiencing; it should give us hope, and make us slightly reproachful for our sins. I've always liked and feared the words of Saint Francis of Assisi: "It was not the Jew, nor the Roman who killed Christ. It was you." Our Lord is good and forgiving, full of love to all who call - as the Psalmist says. He will heal us; we just need to enter into His Sacrifice.
The Crucifix reminds us of Sacred Time. We do not just remember Christ's sacrifice; we experience it now. Ergo, the Crucifix is a sign of unity; a sign of the unity of today's Mass with the One Sacrifice of Christ, and with all the Masses throughout time.
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