By John Fencik

Following Pentecost, the Apostles and Evangelists placed the Cross of Christ at the center of their preaching and their developing understanding of the Christ event (see Peter’s discourses in the Book of Acts 2.22-24, 3.11-15, 5.30-31).

For Paul, the cross was at first a stumbling block. The great teacher of the Jewish Torah could not believe that the promised Messiah would be executed as a common criminal. But after encountering the Risen Christ, Paul grasped the full meaning of Jesus’ cross—which then became the very cornerstone of his theology.

Augustine (354-430) wrote, “The apostle Paul…had many great and inspired things to say about Christ, but he did not say that he boasted in Christ’s wonderful works: in creating the world, since he was God… or in ruling the world, though he was also a man like us. Rather, he said: `Let me not boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.’”

Basil the Great (329-379) wrote that “to attain holiness, then, we must not only pattern our lives on Christ’s by being gentle, humble and patient, we must also imitate him in his death. Taking Christ for his model, Paul said that he wanted to become like him in his death in the hope that he, too, would be raised from death to life.”

At the heart of this theology is the marvelous gift that Jesus made of himself on the cross for all humanity. Although sinless and therefore not under the sentence of death—a consequence of original sin—Jesus as God so desired an enduring friendship with us that as man he was willing to subject himself to fully experiencing our human condition—including death!

Melito of Sardis (2nd century) wrote, “For the sake of suffering humanity he came down from heaven to earth, clothed himself in that humanity in the Virgin’s womb, and was born a man. Having then a body capable of suffering, he took the pain of fallen man upon himself; he triumphed over the diseases of soul and body that were its cause, and by his Spirit, which was incapable of dying, he dealt man’s destroyer, death, a fatal blow.”

Leo the Great (d. 461) preached, “Though the divine nature could not be touched by the sting of death, he took to himself, through his birth as one of us, something he could offer on our behalf. By dying he submitted to the laws of the underworld; by rising again he destroyed them. He did away with the everlasting character of death so as to make death a thing of time, not of eternity.”

Our Lenten journey culminates in the events of Holy Week, which is not mere “historical” remembrance of his life-giving actions. In our hearts we know that through baptism we have entered into his passion, death and resurrection—awaiting our sharing in Christ’s ultimate victory—life with him in heaven as true children of the Father! In our hearts we know that at every moment the effects and grace of his cross are being poured out on this world, especially through that most precious gift of the Eucharist!

So we enter Holy Week reflecting with Augustine on Jesus’ great love. So, too, we too gaze on his wounds as he hangs. We see his blood as he dies. We see the price offered by the Redeemer, touch the scars of his resurrection. He bows his head, as if to kiss you. His heart is made bare open, as it were, in love to you. His arms are extended that he may embrace you. His whole body is displayed for your redemption. Ponder how great are these things…as he was once fixed to the cross in every part of his body for you, so he may now be fixed in every part of your soul.


John Fencik is the director of Catholic Formation Services for the Diocese of Helena. He may be reached at jfencik@diocesehelena.org.


Published in The Montana Catholic Online, Volume 26, No. 3, March 19, 2010.