Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/737



The reason  why  our  Lord  chose  the  death  of  the  Cross.  1. Because He thereby  offered  the  most  complete  satisfaction  for  our  Sins. Man had offended  God  by  a disobedience  which  sprang  from  pride,  when he desired  to  “be  like  unto  God”. The Divine  Redeemer  atoned  for this pride  by  choosing  the  most  painful  and  ignominious  of  deaths. Under the  Old  Law,  the  body  of  an  executed  criminal  was  hung  upon a cross as  a token  that  such  a man  was  cursed  of  God  and  rejected by the  people;  and  yet  Jesus  suffered  Himself  to  be  hung  on  the  Cross when alive! For this  reason  St. Paul writes  thus  (Gal.  3,  13):  “Christ has redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law  (i.  e.  from  sin),  being made a curse  for  us:  for  it  is  written  (Deut.  21,  23):  ‘Cursed  is  every one that  hangeth  on  a tree’.”  By  thus  dying  on  the  Cross,  our  Divine Saviour abased  Himself  as  far  as  He  could,  so  as  to  offer  satisfaction for our  pride. In like  manner  He  atoned  for  our  disobedience,  for He became  “obedient  unto  death,  even  to  the  death  of  the  Cross” (Phil. 2,  8). 2. Our  Lord  chose  to  die  on  the  Cross  to  show  His unbounded love  for  us  in  a way  which  we  could  not  mistake,  and  to move  our  hearts  to  love  Him  in  return. When on  the  Cross,  our Blessed Lord  suffered  the  severest  torments  of  Soul  and  Body,  pouring out His  Blood  for  our  sakes,  slowly,  and  drop  by  drop. “He hath loved us,”  writes  St.  John,“  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  His  Blood” (Apoc. 1,  5). “See”, says  St.  Augustine,  “see  the  wounds  of  the Crucified, the  Blood  of  the  dying,  the  ransom  paid  by  the  Redeemer; His Head  is  bowed  down  to  kiss  us;  His  Heart  is  opened  to  love us; His  Arms  are  spread  to  embrace  us;  His  whole  Body  is  given  to save  us!”

The Cross  the  Sign  of  Redemption.  It  stands  upon  the  earth  and raises itself  towards  heaven,  to  signify  that  our  Lord,  when  lifted  up and  hanging  on  the  Cross  between  heaven  and  earth,  purified  this sinful earth  and  reconciled  it  to  heaven. The four  arms  of  the  Cross signify the  universality  of  Redemption,  all  men  being  saved  by  Christ crucified. They are  symbols  of  the  four  parts  of  the  world,  pointing, when the  Cross  is  laid  down,  to  the  north  and  south  and  east  and west, and  signifying  that  all  men,  all  over  the  face  of  the  globe,  have a share in  the  fruits  of  Redemption. In the  Cross  alone  is  salvation, and from  it  flow  all  graces  and  blessings. Thus it  is  that  in  all  her benedictions the  Church  makes  use  of  the  sign  of  the  Cross: and whenever a Catholic  makes  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  he  confesses  his faith in  the  crucified  Son  of  God.

Prophecies fulfilled  by  the  Death  of  Jesus  on  the  Cross:

1. That  of  David  (Ps.  21,  17  19):  “They  have  dug  My  Hands and My  Feet. . . . They parted  My  garments  amongst  them,  and  upon My vesture  they  cast  lots.”