Christ's Passion . . .

In the remaining days of Lent we come ever closer to the fundamental mystery of our faith, namely the Resurrection of the Lord. During these days we should take time to accompany Jesus in our prayers, along his painful road to Calvary culminating in his Crucifixion and death. We should not forget, as we walk with him, that we too were part of the 'crowd' in all those horrors for, 'He was bearing our faults in his own body on the Cross.' (1 Peter 2: 24)

This custom of meditating on our Lord's Passion began in the early days of Christianity. the Evangelists have dedicated a great part of their writings to it and have given vivid accounts of the events.

St Thomas Aquinas wrote that 'The Passion of Christ is enough to serve as a guide and model throughout our lives.' St Thomas - About the Church. Once, when St Thomas visited St Bonaventure, he asked how he had gained such sound doctrine as the one he had set out in his works. St Bonaventure showed him a crucifix, which was blackened with the kisses he had given it, and explaining said, 'This is the book that tells me what I should write; the little I know I have learned from it.' (St Alphonsus Liguori, Meditations on Christ's Passion). Looking at the crucifix the saints learned how to suffer and truly love our Lord.

The Passion of our Lord should be a regular theme in our daily prayer and we should always carry a crucifix on our person. St Josemaria writing in 'The Way' said, 'As a Christian, you should always carry a crucifix with you. And place it on your desk. And kiss it before going to bed and when you wake up; and when your poor body rebels against your soul, kiss it again.'

By meditating on our Lord's Passion we will receive many rewards; firstly, it will help us to detest all sin, since 'He was wounded for our sins.' (Isaiah 53:5); secondly, we will grow in love for our Lord; and thirdly, it is in our Lord's suffering that we find proof of His immense love for us.

Let us ask Our Lady of Sorrows to draw us ever closer to her Son and to show us how to meditate on His sufferings which won for us our salvation.

Our Lady of Sorrows,

pray for us.