Jesus Christ saved the world from the evil effects of both original sin and the actual sins of men by a life and death of suffering. His death on the cross was a sacrifice to His Father a sacrifice in which He was both priest and victim. He was not obliged to suffer as much as He did in order to redeem us, for even the least suffering on His part would have sufficed to redeem all mankind because of the infinite dignity of His divine personality, which gave infinite satisfactory value to even the least of His sufferings. But He suffered so intensely and died the painful death of the cross in order to prove His great love for us.
Because His death means so much for the human race, the Catholic Church cherishes a great devotion to the representation of His death, the crucifix. The crucifix is the chief reminder of Jesus Christ. In every church and school the crucifix occupies a prominent place; and it should be found also in every Catholic home. Nothing is better calculated to teach us the greatness of God's love for men, and the malice of sin. It is because of the many lessons contained in Christ's Passion that the Church celebrates so solemnly Holy Week and recommends the devotion of the Way of the Cross.
Our Lord died on Good Friday. On the following Sunday He rose gloriously from the tomb in which His body had been placed. Thus He proved to the world the truth of His teachings, especially the doctrine that He is true God. There have always been men who denied the fact of Christ's Resurrection; but the proofs for it are so convincing that no reasonable person can doubt it. After His death on the cross He appeared on many occasions, eleven of which are mentioned in the Bible. Once He was seen by more than five hundred persons. He spoke with the disciples, ate with them, allowed them to touch the wounds in His hands and side. The very fact that the disciples willingly endured sufferings and death in testimony of the Resurrection, is a convincing proof that it took place, for men will not die for a cause unless they are sure of it.
To commemorate Christ's Resurrection, the Church celebrates Easter Sunday as one of the greatest and most joyous feasts of the year, and continues the Easter season for - forty days in memory of the forty days Our Lord remained on earth. During this time the large paschal candle is kept in the sanctuary, as a symbol of the risen Christ; and to remind us of His Ascension into heaven, it is extinguished after the Gospel of the Mass on Ascension Thursday. His Ascension into heaven occurred on the fortieth day after His Resurrection.
In heaven Our Lord, even as man, is King of the entire universe. At the end of the world He will come to judge all mankind, as He Himself describes it in the twentyfifth chapter of the Gospel of St. Matthew. There He says that at this last judgment He will place the just on His right and the wicked on His left. To the latter He will say: "Depart from me, accursed ones, into the everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels", while to the former He will give the consoling invitation: "Come, blessed of my Father, take possession of the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world"
(Matthew, 25:3441).
The thought of Christ's sufferings and of His glorification should remind us that if we patiently accept the sufferings God allows to befall us, we shall merit one day to share in the glory and happiness of our divine Redeemer.
RESOLUTION: Resolve occasionally to perform the devotion of the Way of the Cross, particularly in Lent, and also to carry a crucifix on your person.