Today is Good Friday, where Christians remember Jesus’s suffering and death on the cross in atonement for our sins. Many Christians don’t think much about this, and are perhaps overly-focused on the resurrection that we celebrate Sunday. Today, however, is the center of the story. Today is where Jesus bought our salvation with his life.
The pain he endured for us is more than any of us will ever have to experience. Crucifixion on its own was a sadistic Roman method of institutional murder that put its victims through incredible pain and suffering, but even before his execution Jesus suffered humiliation, beatings, and insults. They even mocked him on the cross, as if the cross itself were not enough.
This is the part of the story we ponder today. This is, indeed, the whole point of the story. Jesus—the Son of God—condescended to humiliation, suffering, and death so that you, me, and all the other undeserving sinners might have eternal life.
The Anima Christi (‘Soul of Christ’)
14th Century, Author Unknown
| Anima Christi, sanctifica me. Corpus Christi, salva me. Sanguis Christi, inebria me. Aqua lateris Christi, lava me. Passio Christi, conforta me. O bone Jesu, exaudi me. Intra tua vulnera absconde me. Ne permittas me separari a te. Ab hoste maligno defende me. In hora mortis meae voca me. Et iube me venire ad te, Ut cum Sanctis tuis laudem te. In saecula saeculorum. Amen |
Soul of Christ, sanctify me Body of Christ, save me Blood of Christ, inebriate me Water from the side of Christ, wash me Passion of Christ, strengthen me O good Jesus, hear me Within Thy wounds hide me Separated from Thee let me never be From the malignant enemy defend me In the hour of my death call me And bid me come unto Thee That with thy saints I may praise Thee Forever and ever Amen |