The symbol of the cross is the symbol of shame. Why use it? - by Laity Apologetics Catholic Doctrines, History and Traditions Friday, 5 December 2014 A non-apologist Catholic will be probably stirred up with this kind of info brought up by non-Catholic people especially INC to make reader re-evaluate their belief about the cross. It is true that many Catholics do not know the history and it is a good opportunity for non-Catholic bodies to take advantage of the situation. Making Catholics going against the Catholic teaching and tradition is their job. According Dr. Sugon, If you by chance go to Libingan ng mga Bayani, you would read the following epitaph: “I do not know the manner of his birth, but I know the glory of his death.” As St. Augustine would say, “It is only in the face of death that man’s self is born.” Jose Rizal’s heroism is judged by the calmness he faced death, even turning his body to face the firing squad, for he is no traitor to Spain. So what is the most fitting way to commemorate Rizal? Make a sculpture of him being hit by the bullets, his body twisted, and his face scarred with pain. In a similar way, we honor saints by depicting the manner of their death: St. Denis carrying his chopped head, St. Lawrence carrying the gridiron, and St. Blaise with steel combs. The greatest honor for a Filipino is to die for his country, “ang mamatay ng dahil sa iyo.” And the greatest honor for a Christian is to die for Christ. If Christ died on an electric chair, most likely Catholics would remember him sitting on an electric chair. That death would be quick. Now they use lethal injection, but the victim is also placed on the cross. But Christ did not die in an electric chair or in a lethal injection: : Christ died a slow, excruciating death on the cross, pierced with a spear to his heart as he hung on a tree between heaven and earth(c.f. Absalom in 2 Sam 18:9-13), in fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy of the Suffering Servant (Is 53:2-12): “He grew up like a sapling before him, like a shoot from the parched earth; There was in him no stately bearing to make us look at him, nor appearance that would attract us to him. He was spurned and avoided by men, a man of suffering, accustomed to infirmity, One of those from whom men hide their faces, spurned, and we held him in no esteem. Yet it was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings that he endured, While we thought of him as stricken, as one smitten by God and afflicted. But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins, Upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes we were healed. We had all gone astray like sheep, each following his own way; But the LORD laid upon him the guilt of us all. Though he was harshly treated, he submitted and opened not his mouth; Like a lamb led to the slaughter or a sheep before the shearers, he was silent and opened not his mouth. “Oppressed and condemned, he was taken away, and who would have thought any more of his destiny? When he was cut off from the land of the living, and smitten for the sin of his people. A grave was assigned him among the wicked and a burial place with evildoers, Though he had done no wrong nor spoken any falsehood. (But the LORD was pleased to crush him in infirmity.) If he gives his life as an offering for sin, he shall see his descendants in a long life, and the will of the LORD shall be accomplished through him. Because of his affliction he shall see the light in fullness of days; Through his suffering, my servant shall justify many, and their guilt he shall bear. Therefore I will give him his portion among the great, and he shall divide the spoils with the mighty, Because he surrendered himself to death and was counted among the wicked; And he shall take away the sins of many, and win pardon for their offenses.
Posted on: Sat, 06 Dec 2014 10:04:21 +0000
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