The Passion Of Jesus

[BarbTherese]

This account is taken from Catholic Culture, a reputable Catholic resource. It is a very graphic account of what Jesus would have undergone once He was arrested. It is very graphic and not for the weak hearted - be warned. It includes drawings and diagrams. It draws on various sources including The Gospels for accounts of what Jesus actually endured. It is written by professional people, including medical expertise.
If I am able, throughout Holy Week, I will try to post other resources of various kinds on the Passion of Jesus. I hope others might do so also.

http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/seasons/Lent/passion1.cfm

ON THE PHYSICAL DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST
William D. Edwards, MD; Wesley J. Gabel, MDiv; Floyd E Hosmer, MS, AMI

".........At the Praetorium, Jesus was severely whipped. (Although the severity of the scourging is not discussed in the four gospel accounts, it is implied in one of the epistles (1 Peter 2:24). A detailed word study of the ancient Greek text for this verse indicates that the scourging of Jesus was particularly harsh. (33) ) It is not known whether the number of lashes was limited to 39, in accordance with Jewish law. (5) The Roman soldiers, amused that this weakened man had claimed to be a king, began to mock him by placing a robe on his shoulders, a crown of thorns on his head, and a wooden staff as a scepter in his right hand. (1) Next, they spat on Jesus and struck him on the head with the wooden staff. (1) Moreover, when the soldiers tore the robe from Jesus' back, they probably reopened the scourging wounds. (7) ......."

[BarbTherese]

Another Catholic Culture article. The cross or suffering is not something apart from our life in Christ, our spirituality, but something intrinsic to that life, essential. Suffering, the cross, is not something that comes along as an accident of fate, but through The Permissive Will of God. Therefore, what I need examine and give reflection to is my attitude and perspective on suffering, difficulties and hardship in my life. If I am faithful in small things, then that perspective and attitude will extend to what is more difficult and trying. This is in line with the theology of St Therese of Lisieux - she not only sought to be faithful in her life in the very small things because she felt she could not tackle the huge things that we can read about in the life of some of our saints, she recognized that faithfulness in the small things in life would extend to the bigger things, should they come along. And in her life, they did. Her attitude and perspective was that "All is Grace" and that whatever came along in her life, Grace would be with her asking her response.

This Cathiolic Culture article is a moderately lengthy text, but worth a read:

"The Law of The Cross" http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=3294
These three steps—suffering and death, transformation, and the reward of glory—constitute the "law of the cross."


Excerpts only from article: [quote]
We, with Christ, must suffer evils as punishment for sin. Daily each of us must take up our cross (Matt. 16:24) and fill up what is wanting in the sufferings of Christ (Col. 1:24). Nor should we forget that for those who love God all things work together unto good (Rom. 8:28). According to this doctrine of the New Testament, the transformation of evil must become the rule of our life. We must accept the cross and have the wisdom to see that in losing our life we gain it and in dying the seed bears fruit. Christ's whole work of redemption was geared so we might see the difference between, those.........


..........We are predestined to be conformable to the image of the Son (Rom. 8:29). We do not suffer in order to be glorified, but rather suffer with Him in order to be glorified with Him (Rom. 8:17). Hence comes that paradox proper to Christians, that is, to rejoice in sufferings.

......Yet how can God's wisdom permit evil? "The Almighty God, who . . . has supreme power over all things, being Himself supremely good, would never permit the existence of anything evil among His works, if He were not so omnipotent and good that He can bring good even out of evil."3 "For he judged it better to bring good out of evil, than not to permit evil."4 What can one say that is more profound than these words of Augustine? God could have created.......

.....the law of the cross is not known except through the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 1:18-31; 2:10-16) and there are, as St. Paul points out, many enemies of the cross of Christ (Phil. 3:18). Yet every Christian knows he must bear the Redeemer's cross willingly lest the same charge be made against him that was made against Peter when he objected to Christ's suffering, "You do not take God's view of things, but men's" (Matt. 16:23). [/quote]

Edited April 1, 2012 by BarbaraTherese