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Posts Tagged ‘Good Friday’

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Three Crosses

In 07 Observations on 2011/04/22 at 3:38 PM

In his Vol. 2 of IN CONVERSATION WITH GOD, Francis Fernandez present the picture of a recently arrived spectator on the first Good Friday.  The visitor see three men, each heading for death on the cross he carries.  Each carried his cross in a different way just as we today can carry ours in one of their three ways:

One can carry his cross complaining, filled with anger, and even cursing God.  That cross has no meaning and is as useless as it was to the “bad” thief.

Another way to carry our cross is with resignation or acceptance (because there is no alternative).  Here there is the possibility of change by conversion as in the case of the “good” thief.

The third way is embracing our cross with love for the love of God, and discovering that sorrow, suffering and contradictions cease to be merely negative as soon as the cross is seen to be not just one’s own but that of Jesus.  Jesus is an image of hope; he is beside the sufferer and actually will carry our cross.

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Sweet Nails, Sweet Tree

In 06 Scripture & Theology on 2011/04/22 at 3:34 PM

“Sweet nails, sweet tree, where life begins.”  Hymn, Crux Fidelis

St. Augustine, as he ponds the Psalms 21, 11, 8  considers the question of: “Why, so much suffering?” and concludes that all was done in order to redeem us; we have been ransomed.

If you gaze at a crucifix, you will be moved to begin to understand.  The redeeming act of Christ was for you, and you can truly say: Jesus Christ “loved me and gave himself up for me.” (Gal. 2:20)

Pascal  heard him say to him: “Those drops of blood I shed for you.” (Pensees, VII)

All through history, people look upon the disfigured face of Christ, and there they recognize the glory of God.”  J. Ratzinger