Everyone who thoughtfully looks at a crucifix will find himself asking the same questions:
“Is it true? Did it really happen?”
The representation of our Lord upon the cross is one of the oldest and most widespread of the sacramentals. In every type of material, in every form and color sculptors and painters have represented the death of the Godman. In every size and shape Catholics carry a crucifix, place it in their homes and schools and institutions. Never do we want to forget that Jesus died for all of us. Never do we want to forget that He went to the lengths of love by dying for us. The crucifix tells us three things: Who suffered for us? What He suffered for us? Why He suffered for us.
Who is it hanging upon this cross?
It is the all-good Son of God who became Man for our redemption. It is the Creator of all things suffering for the creature. It is Holiness Himself hanging there. It is Love Himself hanging there.
That He was “truly the Son of God” is proven from the wonders that accompanied His death:
Darkness covered the earth from the sixth to the ninth hour. Itwas not an ordinary eclipse of the sun, because the moon was then at the full, because such an eclipse can last eight minutes at the most, and because there is no record in astronomy of an eclipse that year.
The veil of the temple was rent in two. (St. Matthew, 27:51.)
The earth quaked, rocks were rent, and graves were opened. (Same passage)
All these terrible happenings make us exclaim with the centurion: “Truly he was the Son of God.” What did Christ suffer?
His torments were so severe that the mere anticipation of them caused a sweat of blood. Our Lord suffered torture in every part of His body: He was scourged unmercifully. He was crowned with thorns. He was forced to carry His cross over a stony street. He was nailed through hands and feet. He suffered agonizing thirst. His mental sufferings also were extreme: There was the sense of love unreturned. There was ingratitude for His many favors and miracles. There was aching sympathy for His bereaved mother.
Why did Christ suffer?
He suffered in order to deliver us from our sins, from our deep debt – of punishment.
He suffered to reconcile us o God and to reopen the gates of heaven.
He suffered to make for us a satisfaction full and complete and most acceptable to God.
He suffered to leave us an example of every virtue.
To save man from the state of sin it was not absolutely necessary that God should demand such suffering. Christ could have saved us by a mere act of His all-powerful will. But He endured those terrible tortures to show us how precious we were to Him, and to give us a divine example, which we could imitate.
All these thoughts we read in every crucifix. No wonder we treasure the Figure on the cross. No wonder we place it everywhere to remind us continually of the things it teaches:
We place it above our altar to remind us that the holy sacrifice of the cross is repeated thereon.
We place it in our homes and bedrooms to remind us to live continually in the light of its lessons.
We hang the crucifix in our classrooms and buildings of mercy to show that all we undertake is done in and for Him who died on it.
We place it in our sickrooms and in the hands of our dying to remind us of the patience and forbearance of Christ crucified.
We carry it on our persons that we may carry out what it signifies.
We hang it on our Rosaries, we etch it on our books and doorways, we reach up and place it on the steeples of our churches, we place it everywhere in order that everywhere we might remember its life-giving lessons.
Make the most of this sacramental. Ask yourself:
“Is it true? Did it really happen?” Then also ask yourself: “What does it mean?”
“Who is that hanging there?” “Why did He suffer so?”
Your crucifix will answer those questions for you and bring you with the answers a more abundant spiritual life.
(Adapted from Talks on the Sacramentals, Rev. Arthur Tonne, O.F.M, 1950).