Title: Theology 1 – Creed

Grade 11 (Lesson 4)

Lesson: Passion of Christ

- The Cross: Symbol of Saving Love

- Three Fundamental Qualities of Christ’s Saving Love

- Four Truths of Christ’s Salvation

- Two Ways of Summarizing Christ as Savior

- The Seven Last Words and Stations of the Cross

Motivation: Spontaneous Prayer / Reflective Questions

What are the most trying moments of your life?

Introduction
As we journey along life’s pathway, we experience sadness and joy, pains and struggles, failures and
successes. Life’s monotony is dotted with colors. The various shades are the challenges and problems we
encounter which give meaning to our lives. In this lesson we will see the true essence of passion, not just “to
suffer”, but to be willing to offer oneself for a Divine cause and unconditional love which Jesus shared to us.

THE FOURTH ARTICLE OF FAITH

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried…
The human nature of Christ could feel pain and actually die, and he did on Good Friday. The mention of
Pontius Pilate by name wasn’t meant so much to vilify him forever in history but to place the Crucifixion within
human history.

Reference is made to an actual historical person, the Roman governor of Judea Pontius Pilate, appointed by
Caesar, to put the life and death of Jesus within a chronological and historical context. It also reminds the
faithful that one can’t blame all Jews for the death of Jesus, as some have erroneously done over the ages.
Certain Jewish leaders conspired against Jesus, but the actual death sentence was given by a Roman and
carried out by Roman soldiers. So both Jew and Gentile alike shared in the spilling of innocent blood of the son
of man.

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Word of Life (John 15:13)

“No one can show greater love than this: to lay down His life for those He loves.”

Questions for reflections

1. What is meant by the redemption?

2. What did Christ suffer for us during His whole life?

3. What did Christ suffer for us during His passion?

4. What lessons do we learn from Jesus’ suffering and death?

Deepening
1. Jesus Christ offered Himself to His heavenly father to obtain forgiveness of the sins of men and gain for
us the divine life and all the graces for going to heaven.

2. Christ suffered for us poverty and persecution. Christ suffered the agony in the garden, the scourging at
the pillar, the crowning with thorns, the carrying of the cross and the crucifixion and death on the cross.

3. Christ’s suffering thought us a lot.

a. God’s great love for man. “No one can show greater love than this: to lay down His life for those He
loves.”(Jn.15:3). I am the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep… I know my sheep
and mine know Me… and for these sheep I lay down My life” (Jn.10:11-15).

b. The evil of sin and the hatred that God bears it. “He was pierced for our offense; He was crushed
for our sins” (Isaiah 53:5).

c. Sufferings and trials strengthen us. The sufferings of Jesus serve as an example of patience and
strength. We should accept our difficulties with resignation in imitation of Jesus who suffered
willingly for our sake.

THE CROSS: SYMBOL OF SAVING LOVE

 St. Paul expressed the core of the “Good news” given him as follows: “For I handed on to you as of first
importance what I also received; that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures”
(1 Cor 15:3; cf. CCC 601).

 It is not the very sufferings and death of Christ that save us, rather, we are saved by Jesus’ perfect self-
giving love for His Father and for us; a love lived out to the death.

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 a. John 10:17-18 – “The Father loves me for this, that I lay down my life to take it up again. No one
takes it from me; I lay it down freely.”

b. Philippians 2:8 – “He humbled himself, obediently accepting even death, death on a cross!”

The Cross, then does not exalt the passive suffering or weakness (as
some have exploited it in order to dominate others), rather the
transformation of suffering and weakness through active, total self-
giving love.

St. Gregory the Great describes this wondrous exchange:

He was made flesh that we might possess the Spirit,

He was brought low that we might be raised up,

He endured blows that we might be healed,

He was mocked to free us from eternal damnation,

He died to give us life.

THREE FUNDAMENTAL QUALITIES OF CHRIST’S SAVING LOVE

1. Universal
 Jesus died not for our sins alone, but for those of the whole world (1 John 2:2). St Paul exclaims: “He
indeed died for all, so that those who live, might no loner live for themselves, but for him who for their
sakes died and was raised up” (2 Cor 5:14-15).
 Christ’s cross on Calvary stands a symbol of his universal redeeming love. The horizontal bar
stretches Christ’s arms to embrace the whole world of human suffering, while the vertical column
points him toward his heavenly Father, beyond the bounds of time and space. The two others crucified
with him show Jesus’ solidarity with the whole history of human suffering.

2. Eschatological
 Jesus did not die simply to raise our standard of living, or make life easier. He died that those who
follow him will receive “eternal life in the age to come” (Mark 10:30).

3. Empowering
 This dimension is already present in us in grace, empowering us so that all our actions can have
“saving” power.

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 FOUR TRUTHS OF CHRIST’S SALVATION

1. Jesus Christ is the savior of the world; there is no salvation apart from Jesus.

2. Through his sufferings and death he has won for us sinners “objective redemption” that is,
reconciled all with the Father.

3. He did this in loving obedience to His Father’s will and love for us.
4. He calls us to personal interior repentance for our sins and a life of loving service of others, that is
“subjective redemption”.

TWO WAYS OF SUMMARIZING CHRIST AS SAVIOR

1. By focusing on the blood of Jesus. Throughout Old Testament salvation history, blood was highly
symbolic.

a. It could refer to deliverance from death (cf. Ex 12:7, 13-22 ff) and life itself (cf. Lv 17:11-14).
b. It could mean sin-offering, cleansing from sin (cf. Lv 16).
c. It could mean the seal of the Covenant at Sinai (cf. Ex 24: 6-8).

These three meanings were supremely realized in Christ, the Paschal lamb, whose blood

a. brings life (cf. Jn 6:53-56)

2. To relate our basic human yearnings for life, for meaning, and for loving fellowship
to the Triune God.

a. For our drive for life is fulfilled by God the Father, “the living and true God” (1 Thes 1:9)

b. By sending His Son, the Wisdom of God, He gives meaning and purpose to our lives (Jn 14:6)

c. This inspires “fellowship” by pouring out His “love in our hearts through the Holy Spirit”
(Rm 5:5; cf. 2 Cor 13:13).

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 The 7 Last Words of Jesus

1. Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing
(Lk 23:34).

2. Today, you will be with me in paradise (Lk 23:43).

3. Woman, hee is your son. Here is your Mother (Jn 19:26-27).

4. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Mt 27:46).

5. I am thirsty (Jn 19:28).

6. It is finished (Jn 19:30).

7. Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit (Lk 23:46).

The 14 Stations of the Cross

1. The Lord’s Supper (Mt 26:26-29)

2. Jesus’ agony in Gethsemane (Lk 22:39-43)

3. Jesus before the Sanhedrin (Mk 14:55-64)

4. The Crowning with Thorns (Mt 27:27-30)

5. The Carrying of the Cross (Mt. 27:31)

6. The Falling of Jesus (Isaiah 52: 5-7)

7. Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry the cross (Mt 27:32)

8. Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem (Lk 23: 27-31)

9. Jesus is nailed to the Cross (Lk 23: 32-34)

10. The Good Criminal (Lk 23:39-43)

11. Mary and John (Jn 19:25-27)

12. Jesus dies on the Cross (Jn 19:28-30)

13. Jesus is laid in the Tomb (Mt 27:57-60)

14. The Resurrection (Lk 24:1-6)

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Integration

Activity 1:
Reflection Statement

1. What does the Passion of Christ mean to you?

2. How can you show to Jesus that you are worth saving for of His love?
Cite some concrete examples of your daily life.

Activity 2:
Action for Life

Write your commitments for this week.

Summary
We must remember what our Lord endured for our salvation. He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice
on of the cross and washed away our sins with His blood. We must recognize our responsibility to repent.
The Catechism (#589), stated that "Sinners were the authors and the ministers of all the sufferings that the
Divine Redeemer endured" and since our sins made the Lord Christ suffer the torment of the cross, those who
plunge themselves into disorders and crimes crucify the Son of God anew in their hearts (for He is in them)
and hold Him up to contempt.

Jesus on the cross is a clear image of God’s love for each of us. Understanding and meditating in His
Passion on this Fourth Article of Faith reminds us that painful trials and difficulties we experience provide great
opportunities for growth and wisdom that make our growing process meaningful. This strengthen us to resist
temptation, move us to reconciliation, and keep us on the path of salvation. By embracing our crucified Lord
and His cross we will come to the glory of the resurrection.

bro. ryan