The Power of the Cross: Part One

' While the Jews demand miracles and the Greeks look for wisdom, we are preaching a crucified Christ: to the Jews an obstacle they cannot get over, to the gentiles foolishness, but to those who have been called, whether they are Jews or Greeks, a Christ who is both the power of God and the wisdom of God'(1 Corinthians 1:22-4) The meditations in this book are comments on the Passion readings given by Raniero Cantalamessa in the Basilica of St. Peter in the presence of the Pope during the Good Friday services from 1980 to 1995. Even today the mystery of the Cross shines out. It is still a light for our path. What needs to happen is an "unveiling" of the Cross in the hearts of Christians, just as it takes place each Good Friday in the liturgy of the Church. May we too pass from seeing the Cross as a sign of condemnation to seeing it as a salvation, pardon, our only hope, until we can joyfully exclaim with St. Paul: "As for me, it is out of the question that I should boast at all, except of the Cross of our Lord Jesus." Franciscan Capuchin, former professor of Ancient Christianity at the Catholic University of Milan and a member of the International Theological Commission serves since 1980 as the preacher of the Papal Household. He is a member of the Catholic Commission for Dialogue with the Pentecostal Churches. He has authored several books and many of them have been translated into various languages. Some of his books are The Holy One of God; Mary: Mirror of the Church; Easter in the Early Church; The Eucharist: Our Sanctification; The Mystery of Easter; Life in the Lordship of Christ; The Holy Spirit in the Life of Jesus; Obedience; Virginity; Poverty and The Mystery of Christmas. CONTENTS Introduction 1. Let every tongue proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord! 2. God so loved the World 3. You have killed Jesus of Nazareth! 4. Baptised in his death 5. Crucified through weakness, Christ lives through the power of God 6. And at once there came out blood and water 7. The righteousness of God has been manifested 8. The Lion of the tribe of Judah has triumphed! 9. He was pierced through for our faults 10. Near the cross of Jesus was Mary his mother 11. He humbled himself 12. And Jesus cried with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit 107 13. God did not spare his own Son 14. And he will come again to judge both the living and the dead 15. Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her 16. The mystery of the cross shines out Contents