Jesus And The Cross

Written by Rev. A. G. Sertillanges, this acclaimed devotional classic gives you vivid and dramatic details not included in the Gospel.

Who of us can possibly imagine the excruciating pain of being crucified? But further, who would imagine that in the midst of this ghastly punishment that brings on unrelenting headaches and mental disorientation, a crucified man would actually give thought to the needs of others? This book explores in detail the nature of crucifixion and then invites the reader to listen in stunned silence to the amazing seven sayings of Jesus of Nazareth while hanging on the cross, as he focuses his attention on others in the first three sayings, and only then on his own distressing situation. His last four sayings give expression to his utter spiritual and physical anguish and conclude with a cry of victory and then a cry in which he commits himself to God.

The Cross of Jesus, by Father Louis Chardon, O.P. is a two-volume spiritual masterpiece from the seventeenth century. Published in 1647 after Father Chardon had spent many years as a theologian, master of novices and director of souls, this expert theologian explains the Christian's imitation of Christ and transformation in grace by faithfully suffering the crosses which constitute the active and passive purifications of the senses and spirit, leading the soul to consummate holiness. By considering the dark night of the spirit and the soul's progress in perfect charity and contemplation in the light of the mysteries of the Hypostatic Union in Our Lord Jesus Christ, the soul's incorporation into the Mystical Body of Christ, the life of Our Lady, the indwelling of the Holy Trinity and the sublime missions of the Divine Persons into the baptized soul in the state of grace, Father Chardon's work richly complements the writings of the Mystical Doctor, St. John of the Cross. Thus, he contemplates in the light of divine revelation and traditional Catholic doctrine the mysterious relation of ineffable divine peace and voluntarily-embraced suffering, a dynamic which is manifested supremely in the life and Passion of Our Lord and mirrored in a measure in the lives of His saints--as well as in the life of any interior soul striving towards the perfection of the transforming union.To bear and make satisfaction for sin and its terrible effects and to make reparation to God's perfect justice and infinite holiness, the incarnate Word, sent in the greatest mercy as man's Redeemer, was in His Soul ever inclined by His love for God and man towards suffering and the Cross. However, the privations and sufferings which He voluntarily embraced in His consuming love for His Bride, the Church, were means to the rich and complete union which God wills to effect with souls faithful to the Savior and His Cross. Guided by Father Chardon's masterful application of traditional Catholic doctrine, the devout soul can contemplate and adore the mysteries of grace in the Blessed Trinity, Our Lord and Our Lady and strive likewise to conform themselves, thus proceeding more generously and surely in the path of prayer, love and suffering that leads to the highest beatitude and union with the thrice holy God.

Who was ultimately responsible for sentencing Jesus to death on the cross? Can we ever be good enough for God? Do all "religious" people go to heaven? In Who Put Jesus on the Cross? A.W. Tozer examines some of the most difficult questions of the Christian faith. His indictment of lackluster belief forms the cornerstone of his appeal as he asks the reader what it really costs to be a Christian. Tozer inspires conviction that will have you digging deep within your heart to newly realize the meaning of Christ's death and resurrection and discover the "Word of God as the foundation of our peace and rest."

Few medieval images are as iconic, or as challenging, as the life-sized sculptural crucifixes that emerged in the Holy Roman Empire at the end of the tenth century. Striking at the fundamental mysteries of Christianity--the idea of a God made flesh, who died on the Cross and was resurrected after three days--these objects were made to attract attention and inspire veneration, and they exist in uneasy tension with medieval anxieties about idolatry and the cult of images. This volume presents new research on the Boston Crucifix, the earliest medieval crucifix in North America and one of the most significant examples of the genre, in dialogue with new directions in this field as a whole. Essays on the history, theology, style, condition, and provenance of early wood crucifixes are presented here together for the first time in a format that is intended as a major scholarly resource, but will also prove accessible to students and non-specialists who are curious about the origins of monumental crucifixes in the High Middle Ages.

As death approaches, the human heart speaks its greatest words of love to those it holds most dear. So it was with Jesus who in His final hours gave us seven last "words" rich with spiritual meaning for every human soul. For the first time ever, Archbishop Fulton Sheen's complete writings and reflections on Christ's last words have been compiled into this one book. Sheen shows how the seven words are, in fact, a full catechism on the spiritual life. From them, you'll learn the secrets to living the Beatitudes, ways to avoid the deadly vices of anger, envy, lust, and pride, and how to cultivate the heavenly virtues of fortitude, prudence, justice, and charity. Few books are such an inspiring call to sanctity, and few books are such a spiritual powerhouse. With Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen as your guide, you'll also learn: Why, during His Passion, Jesus never proclaimed his innocence. Why Jesus appealed to His Father to forgive, but did not Himself forgive directly. What Jesus' third word from the Cross says about lust. Why, like Jesus, the most innocent among us must suffer. Why darkness covered the earth after Jesus spoke his fourth word. The seven words spoken unto Jesus while He hung on the Cross and what they reveal about the impact of Christ's Passion on your soul. What the Passion says about judging others (and why it's an assault against hope). How the conversion of the good thief is the key to the conversion of our modern world. Why you and I can sin a thousand times and be forgiven, and the angels who have sinned but once are eternally unforgiven. How envy becomes the denial of all justice and love. The difference between the virtue of hope and the emotion of hope.

"I could never myself believe in God, if it were not for the cross. . . . In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it?" With compelling honesty John Stott confronts readers with the centrality of the cross in God's redemption of our pain-filled world. Can we see triumph in tragedy, victory in shame? Why should an object of Roman distaste and Jewish disgust be the emblem of our worship and the axiom of our faith? And what does it mean for us today? From one of the foremost preachers and Christian leaders of his generation, The Cross of Christ is a classic, accessible, and compelling look at the work of Christ. At the cross Stott finds the majesty and love of God disclosed, the sin and bondage of the world exposed. More than a study of the atonement, this book brings Scripture into living dialogue with Christian theology and contemporary issues. What emerges is a pattern for Christian life and worship, hope and mission. In honor of John Stott's one hundredth birthday, this centennial edition includes an updated foreword by Alister McGrath and a new timeline of Stott's life. A study guide equips individuals and groups to more deeply reflect on and apply the book's message.