The Passion of Jesus Christ

Reflection by Fr. Augustine Hourigan C.P.

"Indifference"
by Studdart Kennedy

"When Jesus came to Golgotha they nailed him on a tree
They crowned Him with a crown of thorns,
Red were His wounds and deep,
For these were crude and cruel days and human flesh was cheap.

When Jesus came to Birmingham they only passed him by,
They would not hurt a hair of him they only let him die,
For men had grown more tender they would not give him pain,
They only just passed down the street and left him in the rain.

And so it rained the winter rain that drenched Him through and through,
And when all the crowds had left the street with not a soul to see,
Then Jesus crouched against a wall and sighed for Calvary."

Studdart Kennedy suggests that our indifference to the Passion and Death of Jesus is more painful to Him than the actual sufferings that He endured! Is it easy to be indifferent to the sufferings of Jesus in His Passion? Is it easy to forget about His Sacred Passion?

St. Paul of the Cross founded our congregation to remind people of the love Jesus preached from the pulpit of His Cross. We took a fourth vow to promote devotion to this great mystery of our faith. Let us reflect on our founder's zeal written in the words of this hymn from his feast day.

"The fire of Paul's remarkable love
was not hidden in darkness:
he received orders from heaven
to diffuse it throughout the world,
and, as a herald of the Word,
he hastened to his assigned task.

Inspired by Paul's teaching,
people were filled with a desire to follow Christ;
empathizing with their Lord
who was wounded in heart and soul,
they wept from the well springs of their emotions
and were converted.

Ready to submit their lives to God's judgment,
the power of His Love breaks through
their hardened hearts
and where formerly, evil thoughts were raging,
now holiness springs forth.

Satan tries to circumvent this preacher,
but in vain;
for Paul fights all the harder
when trials assail him;
then, when he has vanquished the attack,
leads his legions to the sanctuary of the Lord.

Since the Blessed Trinity has elevated this servant,
so noble in mind and heart,
let earth and sea and sky
resound with praise to the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit.

May it be granted to us to walk in the footsteps of Paul." Amen.

We adore you O Christ and we praise You,
because by your
Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

Fr. Augustine C.P.