JESUS OF NAZARETH, KING OF THE JEWS. In Christian Theology, the CROSS is considered to be a SIGN OF CONTRADICTIONS. It signified death by agonising humiliation and torture, it became a sign to be proud of because it implied Jesus’ obedience to God for the love of the world. there is a VERTICAL coming down from Heaven entering into Earth. There is a HORIZONTAL, the HUMAN CROSSING THE DIVINE. If you take away one of the parts, the CROSS DOES NOT EXIST. The UNION of the two aspects —–HUMAN & DIVINE gives the Cross its POWER & SIGNIFICANCE. ————-Mother Claudia.
The PASSION FLOWER is believed to represent the CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS CHRIST.
The Petals & Sepals——-HIS DISCIPLES ;
The Stamens—–HIS WOUNDS ;
The Pistil Stigma—–THE NAILS ; The Filaments—-THE CROWN OF THORNS———-Aadisht Grover—-Calcutta.
The eminent theologian, Jon Sobrino, pinpointing the essence of Christianity, said, NO CROSS, NO CHRISTIANITY. He adds, “Preaching Christ’s message without His Cross is like eating soup with a fork”. Holy Week started yesterday on PalmSunday ((13/4/2014)
Jesus had once said, “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies it remains alone; but if it dies IT BEARS MUCH FRUIT “. Unnoticed by us, the cosmos ceaselessly undergoes a silent death as caterpillars die to birth butterflies, as sown grains die to engender golden harvests and flowers droop and drop to produce fruits. the ebbs and flow of the oceans perhaps best symbolise the incessant dying-and-rising of Mother Nature. Humans beings, too, suffer and die. Some of human suffering is natural and unavoidable as we grow old, weak and finally die. However, there is man-made suffering and avoidable death of society’s vulnerable victims ; aborted babies, malnourished children, abused children, exploited women, economically poor, bonded labourers and so on. If we treat all human beings as God’s children, then it is our sacred duty to ensure that these CRUCIFIXIONS and DEATHS are avoided.
People with ALTRUISTIC ATTITUDES are admired by all. Asking nothing for themselves, they are ready to sacrifice everything to protect life——–especially of the CRUCIFIED PEOPLE. Sacrifice is central to the TORAH, the QURAN, the BIBLE and VEDIC religion. The YAGNA in ancient India was sacrifice offered to the Divine. Later, there is a stress on the process of INTERIORISATION with true sacrifice understood as an INNER ATTITUDE OF DETACHMENT AND SURRENDER. YAGNA gets associated with giving (DANA) and penance (TAPAS) in chapter 17 of the Bhagavad Gita.
Jesus is universally seen as an EMBODIMENT OF SELF-SACRIFICE. SACRIFICE derives from Latin SACER + FACERE, meaning TO MAKE HOLY. Making small sacrifices for others’ welfare will make every week a ‘holy week’ and every day a ‘holy day’.
—Francis Gonsalves.
SPEAKZEASY 