Our Lord spoke seven times from the “pulpit of the Cross” – and these are called His seven last words.
In response, those who were on Calvary’s Hill that afternoon addressed seven words to Him on the Cross, thus revealing the seven different impacts the Cross makes on souls.
The first of seven possible attitudes toward the Cross is that of humanism, for the first group to challenge the Cross was the humanists.
The term humanist is here understood in the modern philosophical sense and embraces all those who want a religion without a Cross. They believe that man is naturally good, that progress is inevitable through science, and that human reason, by its own effort, is able to restore peace to the world and to consciences.
Humanists regard all suggestions about faith, grace, and the supernatural order as impractical and unnecessary. They want an education of self-expression, a God without justice, a morality without religion, a Christ without a Cross, a Christianity without sacrifice, and a kingdom of God without redemption.
The prototypes of the humanists on Good Friday were those whom Scripture calls
the “passerby.”
They think themselves wise because they had a passing acquaintance with Christ. Their words?
“You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross” (Mt 27:40).
The humanists continue to jeer at Christ on the Cross today and say, “Come down from your belief in divinity! Come down from your teaching of hell! Come down from your belief that what God hath joined together no man may put asunder! Come down from your belief that Christ will preserve Peter from the gates of hell even to the consummation of the world! Come down from your belief in infallibility! Come down, and we will believe!”
Christ’s response? Then as now…
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
The humanists are only certain of humanity, never of divinity. But Christ spoke of divinity: “Father!”
The humanists boasted of their knowledge and superior wisdom. But Christ reminded them that all their wisdom was ignorance: “Forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
The humanists ask for a religion without the Cross. That is the essence of humanism. God’s answer? “Forgive them!”
“Do you not know that to have a world without a Cross is in itself a cross? Do you know a mother worthy of the name who would not, out of love, take the pain of her tender babe as her very own, because she loves? Why, then, should not Supreme Love, in the face of evil, seek to take the penalty that sin deserves, that the evil might be innocent again?”
Prodigal Catholic 
Excellent article. It describes Canada very well at the moment. The Liberal Government and the NDP stopped a motion by the Conservatives to take measures against the attacks on Catholic churches in Canada from arson etc. All groups are protected in Canada but Christian groups sadly.