HOUSE OF GOD PRAYER GROUP, ST.

MARY’S
CATHOLIC CHURCH APO-DUTSE
MONDAY BIBLE CLASS/TEACHING

TOPIC- PASSION OF CHRIST

SPEAKER: BRO. CELESTINE OGBASU

INTRODUCTION
The passion of Christ is a crucial part of the Christian narrative of
redemption and salvation which is commemorated or remembered in
Christianity during the Holy Week.
God allowed Christ to suffer and die to atone for humanity's sins,
offering a path to salvation and reconciliation with God.
In other words, God approved of the suffering of His only begotten
son, but for a purpose. Jn 3:17, Matt. 26:39, 42, Is. 53:6.

The passion of Christ refers to the events surrounding Jesus's arrest, trial,
Scouring (suffering), and his crucifixion.
We shall take a close look at each of these experiences and their
corresponding significance and lessons or prayer routes to our christian
life.

ARREST OF JESUS:
On the night He was betrayed, he took Peter, James and John to
Gethsemane to pray, instructing them to keep vigil with Him. While He
was there at the garden, according to gospels, in His anguish He prayed
earnestly that the cup of suffering past by, though not His Will but the
Will of the Father. A lesson for us to always seek God’s face and pray
His perfect will be done, not our own will.
In the garden, He wasn’t just praying—He was crying. He wasn’t just
crying—He was weeping. He wasn’t just weeping—He was sweating.
He wasn’t just sweating sweat—He was sweating blood. Luke recorded
that His sweet fell to the ground like great drops of blood. (Lk. 22:44).
When He had finished praying, He saw His disciples in sober. After He
had admonishing them, then came the betrayal and arrest. He knew then
that the long awaited time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over
to rulers of the world.
 THE TRIALS:
After Jesus had been arrested, He was handed over to the Chief priest,
members of the Sanhedrin, Herod and Pilate. They all tried Him but out
of jealousy, hatred, mockery, and protecting their own interests, He was
sentenced to death by crucifixion. During those trials, He was mocked,
dragged, slapped and spat on by guards, soldiers and members of the
Sanhedrin. He didn’t fight back nor call on the host of angels nor fire to
consume His enemies (Is. 53:7). A lesson for us to give in to the ultimate
Will of God at all times.

SCOURGING:
This marks the beginning of the most painful part of His passions.
During the trials, when Pilate has given orders for His scourging, He
was scourged at the pillar.
The roman soldiers are experts at torture and death. They stripped Jesus
of His clothes and likely chained Him to a stone pillar. They beat Him
repeated with a whip that is made of metal balls, woven into leather
strands, and at the end of each strand were pieces of broken pottery,
glass, nails, bone, or twisted metal, designed to grab flesh and rip it off.
They flogged him 39 times, and by them most of them were already
exhausted.
Aside the scourging at the pillar, there are 15 other tortures our Lord
passed through which He revealed to Sister Mary Magdalen of the
Sancta Clara Order, Franciscan.
According to the account of this private revelation, Jesus revealed the 15
secret tortures, saying, “The Jews considered Me as the most wretched
man living on earth, so that is why:
1. They fastened My feet with a rope and dragged Me over the stepping
stones of the staircase, down into a filthy, nauseating cellar.
2. They took off My clothing and stung My body with iron joints.
3. They attached a rope around My body and pulled Me along on the
ground, from end to end.
4. They hanged Me on a wooden piece with a slipknot until I slipped out
and fell down. Overwhelmed by this torture, I wept bloody tears.
5. They tied Me to a post and pierced My body with various arms.
6. They struck Me with stones and burnt Me with blazing embers and
torches.
7. They pierced Me with awls; sharp spears tore My skin, flesh, and arteries
out of My body.
8. They tied Me to a post and made Me stand, barefoot, on an incandescent
metal-sheet.
9. They crowned Me with an iron crown and wrapped My eyes with the
dirtiest possible rags.
10. They made Me sit on a chair covered with sharp pointed nails, causing
deep wounds in My body.
11. They poured on My wounds liquid lead and resin and, after this torture,
they pressed Me on the nailed chair, so that the nails went deeper and
deeper into My flesh.
12. For shame and affliction, they drove needles into the holes of My
uprooted beard. Then they tied My hands behind My back and led Me
walking out of prison with strikes and blows.
13. They threw Me upon a cross and attached Me so tightly that I could
hardly breathe anymore.
14. They threw at My head as I lay on the earth, and they stepped on Me,
hurting My breast. Then, taking a thorn from My crown, they drove it
into My tongue.
15. They poured into My mouth the most immodest excretions, as they
uttered the most infamous expressions about Me.”

Pope Clement XII approved the devotion to this secret 15 tortures.

After the scourging at the pillars, the soldiers wore Him a purple robe,
and wore Him a crown made of thorns. This mockery crowns was forced
into His head with a rod. Thick blood dripped down His head down to
His body. They were rejoicing and making mockery of Him while He
was deeply in agony.
We adore the holy face of Jesus in His agonizing pains.

CARRYING OF THE CROSS:

When Pilate has passed the death sentence on Jesus, they made Him carry
a cross which weighs heavy. Without considering the pains and strengths
lost, they made Him carry the cross to Golgotha
On His way to Golgotha, He fell thrice, telling us that in our life’s
journey that falling in possible, but as He always stands up, and continues
the journey, we are encouraged to continue this christian race each time
we fall.
When He met His mother, the pains and sorrows they shared grew more
intense. Imagine it was you, how would you feel. While He was moving,
the soldiers were beating Him. He was assisted by Simon of Cyrene and
Veronica who used her veil to clean His face because sweat and blood
had covered the face for the beauty of the face has diminished. (Is. 53:2).
CRUCIFIXION AND DEATH:
When He had arrived the place of His crucifixion, He was stripped off
His garments. At the point of tearing off the garments, they were
reopening wounds and sores that have already dried up. He was then
nailed to the cross. They stretched His hands to the cross and pierced a 7-
9 inch nails on both hands while putting the feet together, they repeated
same.(Ps. 22:16).
In Jn. 3:14, Jesus told us that just as Moses raised the bronze serpent in
the wilderness in Num. 21, so shall the Son of Man be lifted up, and in
Jn. 12:32, He said, and once He’s lifted up, He shall draw all men to
Himself.
When the cross was raised up, He was made to hung naked in between
two thieves. Then, the cloud covered in darkness. He couldn’t see heaven
anymore because on Him lies a chastisement that the Father cannot
behold, our iniquity.He felt abandoned that made Him cry out in a loud
voice, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani (Ps.22:1, Matt. 27:46).
While He hung on the cross, He gave the church to His mother, and the
mother to the church. He promised the kingdom to a repentant criminal,
He forgave His persecutors. In a voice which was fading away, He said it
is finished, gave up His spirit.

HOW DO WE SHARE IN THE PASSION OF CHRIST?

As Christians especially in a season like this, we are called for sober
reflection on the passion of Christ. Bearing in mind how He died for our
sake, and for what purpose has this death meant for us. What efforts have
we done to share in this paschal mystery? These are things we should ask
ourselves in our close moments and in group sharing as well.
How often do we venerate His holy wounds?
How often do we inflict more pains on Him by our lifestyle?
Do we know we can ask for our needs through the merits of His holy
wounds? Share your experiences

THOSE WHO HAVE SHARED IN HIS PASSION

There are few individuals like you and I, who had lived holy lives and
and shared in the paschal mystery of Christ. They have also been
recognized by the church. They are called stigmata.
Examples of such people are
 St. Padre Pio
 St. Francis of Asisi
 St. Catherine of Siena
 St. Rita of Cascia
And many others including our very own Late Bro. Innocent Okorie
The story of these saints shows that Jesus is not imaginary many think.
He truly came, suffered, crucified and died for the sake of our sins. He
granted some people the privilege to experience His passion and the pains
He underwent. Let us love and embrace Him.

PURPOSE, IMPACT AND SIGNIFICANCE OF CHRIST’S

PASSION TO US.
Col. 2:14, the writer, makes us to understand that we have a common
problem, which make us debtors. But there is an Ultimate Problem Solver
who had come to save us from our debts. He also demonstrated how we
were saved by explaining how these debts were nailed to the cross.

Also, Is. 53:5, says by His stripes, we are healed. The passion of Christ
has earned us healing from all infirmities, either physical or spiritual
infirmities.

Our sins are cleansed. Heb. 9:22, without the shedding of the blood, there
shall be no forgiveness of sins.

We share in the glory that comes thereafter 1Pet. 4:12-13

CONCLUSION
The process for the redemption of the world is a great work of mystery
that man cannot comprehend, but to appreciate the salvific work of God.
Christ’s passion has indeed in Heb. 2:18 made Him be our “Elder
Brother” who guides us in passing through sufferings and tests, knowing
fully well that He is always there to guide us.

Praise the Lord!!