The Cross.
The Cross indeed is a treasure!-------
Here's a little passage from St, Alphonsus Ligouri, again from his book, the Passion and Death of Jesus: It's a real good book =)
The Passion and The Death of Jesus Christ
By St, Alphonsus Ligouri
Page 112
II
St. Augustine says, there is no death more bitter than that of the cross: “Among all the different kinds of death, there was none worse.” Because, as St. Thomas observes, those who are crucified have their hands and their feet pierced through, parts which, being entirely composed of nerves, muscles, and veins, are the most sensitive to pain; and the very weight of the body itself which is suspended from them, causes the pain to be continuous and ever increasing in its intensity up to the moment of death.
But the pains of Jesus were far beyond all other pains for, as the Angelic Doctor (St. Thomas Aquinas) says, the body of Jesus Christ being perfectly constituted, was more quick and sensitive to pain – that body which was fashioned for him by the Holy Spirit, expressly with a view to his suffering as he had foretold; as the Apostle testifies, A body thou hast fitted to Me.- Heb. X.5. Moreover, St. Thomas says that Jesus Christ took upon himself an amount of suffering so great as to be sufficient to satisfy for the temporal punishment merited by the sins of all mankind. Tiepoli tells us that, in the crucifixion, there were dealt twenty-eight strokes of the hammer upon his hands, and thirty-six upon his feet.
O my soul, behold thy Lord, behold thy life, hanging upon that tree: And thy life shall be, as it were, handing before thee.-Deut. Xxviii.66 Behold how, on that gibbet of pain, fastened by those cruel nails, he finds no place of rest. Now he leans his weight upon his hands, now upon his feet; but on what part soever he leans, the anguish increases. He turns his afflicted head, now on one side, now on the other: if he lets it all towards his breast, the hands, by the additional weight, are rent the more; if he lowers it towards his shoulders, the shoulders are pierced with the thorns; if he leans it back upon the cross, the thorns enter the more deeply into the head.
Ah, my Jesus, what a death of bitterness is this that Thou art enduring! O my crucified Redeemer, I adore Thee on this throne of ignominy and pain. Upon this cross I read it written that Thou art a king: Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews – J.N.R.J. – John, xix. 19. But apart from this title of scorn, what is the evidence that Thou dost give of being a king? Ah, these hands transfixed with nails, this head pierced with thorns, this throne of sorrow, this lacerated flesh, make me well know that Thou art king, but king of Love! With humility, then, and tenderness do I draw near to kiss Thy sacred feet, transfixed for love of me; I clasp in my arms this cross, on which Thou, being made a victim of love, wast willing to offer Thyself in sacrifice for me to the divine justice: being made obedient unto death, the death of the cross – Phil.ii.8. O blessed obedience which obtained for us the pardon of our sins! And what would have become of me, O my Saviour hadst Thou not paid the penalty for me! I thank Thee O my love, and by the merits of this sublime obedience do I pray Thee to grant me the grace of obedience in everything to the divine will. All that I desire paradise for is, that I may love Thee forever, and with all my strength.
By St, Alphonsus Ligouri
Page 112
II
St. Augustine says, there is no death more bitter than that of the cross: “Among all the different kinds of death, there was none worse.” Because, as St. Thomas observes, those who are crucified have their hands and their feet pierced through, parts which, being entirely composed of nerves, muscles, and veins, are the most sensitive to pain; and the very weight of the body itself which is suspended from them, causes the pain to be continuous and ever increasing in its intensity up to the moment of death.
But the pains of Jesus were far beyond all other pains for, as the Angelic Doctor (St. Thomas Aquinas) says, the body of Jesus Christ being perfectly constituted, was more quick and sensitive to pain – that body which was fashioned for him by the Holy Spirit, expressly with a view to his suffering as he had foretold; as the Apostle testifies, A body thou hast fitted to Me.- Heb. X.5. Moreover, St. Thomas says that Jesus Christ took upon himself an amount of suffering so great as to be sufficient to satisfy for the temporal punishment merited by the sins of all mankind. Tiepoli tells us that, in the crucifixion, there were dealt twenty-eight strokes of the hammer upon his hands, and thirty-six upon his feet.
O my soul, behold thy Lord, behold thy life, hanging upon that tree: And thy life shall be, as it were, handing before thee.-Deut. Xxviii.66 Behold how, on that gibbet of pain, fastened by those cruel nails, he finds no place of rest. Now he leans his weight upon his hands, now upon his feet; but on what part soever he leans, the anguish increases. He turns his afflicted head, now on one side, now on the other: if he lets it all towards his breast, the hands, by the additional weight, are rent the more; if he lowers it towards his shoulders, the shoulders are pierced with the thorns; if he leans it back upon the cross, the thorns enter the more deeply into the head.
Ah, my Jesus, what a death of bitterness is this that Thou art enduring! O my crucified Redeemer, I adore Thee on this throne of ignominy and pain. Upon this cross I read it written that Thou art a king: Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews – J.N.R.J. – John, xix. 19. But apart from this title of scorn, what is the evidence that Thou dost give of being a king? Ah, these hands transfixed with nails, this head pierced with thorns, this throne of sorrow, this lacerated flesh, make me well know that Thou art king, but king of Love! With humility, then, and tenderness do I draw near to kiss Thy sacred feet, transfixed for love of me; I clasp in my arms this cross, on which Thou, being made a victim of love, wast willing to offer Thyself in sacrifice for me to the divine justice: being made obedient unto death, the death of the cross – Phil.ii.8. O blessed obedience which obtained for us the pardon of our sins! And what would have become of me, O my Saviour hadst Thou not paid the penalty for me! I thank Thee O my love, and by the merits of this sublime obedience do I pray Thee to grant me the grace of obedience in everything to the divine will. All that I desire paradise for is, that I may love Thee forever, and with all my strength.
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O Most Loving Mother Mary, please help me!
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Another good book by St, Alphonsus Ligouri, that I recommend reading would be his
posted by rachelanne at 10/25/2006 06:53:00 PM
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