And he himself, carrying the cross, went out to the place called the Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus in the middle. Pilate also wrote a title of the guilt and had it put on the cross. And it was written, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” [Jn 19: 17-19]

 

The death on the cross was one of the most infamous and painful deaths known to antiquity, reserved for the worst members of society and presented as a warning to all. But history is also full of the innocent deaths of those who have fallen victim to violence and the interests of power. Jesus also dies innocent. He tastes the bitter consequences of human sin, but breaks down his power: he responds to hatred with love, to injustice with forgiveness, to insults with prayer. He saves the world with his Cross.

 

All your life, Lord, was a total gift given always and to everyone,

until you let yourself be picked up on the cross.

In the face of your gift,

I think of my own life that is never fully given

my “yes”, never firm and full.

I find myself weak, selfish and timid.

From your Cross comes a ray of light which tells me about life

that when you died, you gave me the greatest gift.

Fiorenzo Salvi

Giampietro Polini