01-16-2022 QUEEN OF ANGELS CHURCH
“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”
St Augustine
TEXT
COMPENDIUM
"Jesus Christ Suffered Under Pontius
Pilate, Was Crucified, Died, and Was Buried"
"Jesus Christ Descended into
Hell; On the Third Day He Rose Again from the Dead"
“Jesus
Christ suffered under Pontius Pilate
was crucified, died, and was buried.”
112. What is the importance of the Paschal Mystery of Jesus? 571-573
The Paschal Mystery of Jesus, which comprises his passion, death,
resurrection, and glorification, stands at the center of the Christian faith
because God's saving plan was accomplished once for all by the redemptive death
of his Son Jesus Christ.
113. What were the accusations by which Jesus was condemned to
death? 574-576
Some of the leaders of Israel accused Jesus of acting against the
law, the temple in Jerusalem, and in particular against faith in the one God
because he proclaimed himself to be the Son of God. For this reason they handed
him over to Pilate so that he might condemn him to death.
114. How did Jesus conduct himself in regard to the Law of Israel?
577-582, 592
Jesus did not abolish the Law given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai
but he fulfilled it by giving it its definitive interpretation. He himself was
the divine Legislator who fully carried out this Law. Furthermore, as the
faithful Servant, he offered by means of his expiatory death the only sacrifice
capable of making atonement for all the “transgressions committed by men under
the first Covenant” (Hebrews 9:15).
115. What was the attitude of Jesus toward the temple in
Jerusalem? 583-586, 593
Jesus was accused of hostility to the temple. On the contrary, he
venerated it as “the house of his Father” (John 2:16); and it was
there that he imparted an important part of his teaching. However, he also
foretold its destruction in connection with his own death and he presented
himself as the definitive dwelling place of God among men.
116. Did Jesus contradict Israel's faith in the one God and
savior? 587-591, 594
Jesus never contradicted faith in the one God, not even when he
performed the stupendous divine work which fulfilled the messianic promises and
revealed himself as equal to God, namely the pardoning of sins. However, the
call of Jesus to believe in him and to be converted makes it possible to
understand the tragic misunderstanding of the Sanhedrin which judged Jesus to
be worthy of death as a blasphemer.
117. Who is responsible for the death of Jesus? 595-598
The passion and death of Jesus cannot be imputed indiscriminately
either to all the Jews that were living at that time or to their descendants.
Every single sinner, that is, every human being is really the cause and the
instrument of the sufferings of the Redeemer; and the greater blame in this
respect falls on those above all who are Christians and who the more often fall
into sin or delight in their vices.
118. Why was the death of Jesus part of God's plan? 599-605,
619
To reconcile to himself all who were destined to die because of
sin God took the loving initiative of sending his Son that he might give
himself up for sinners. Proclaimed in the Old Testament, especially as the
sacrifice of the Suffering Servant, the death of Jesus came about “in
accordance with the Scriptures”.
119. In what way did Christ offer himself to the Father? 606-609,
620
The entire life of Christ was a free offering to the Father to
carry out his plan of salvation. He gave “his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45)
and in this way he reconciled all of humanity with God. His suffering and death
showed how his humanity was the free and perfect instrument of that divine love
which desires the salvation of all people.
120. How is Jesus’ offering expressed at the Last Supper? 610-611,
621
At the Last Supper with his apostles on the eve of his passion
Jesus anticipated, that is, both symbolized his free self-offering and made it
really present: “This is my Body which is given for you” (Luke 22:19),
“This is my Blood which is poured out...” (Matthew 26:28)
Thus he both instituted the Eucharist as the “memorial” (1 Corinthians 11:25)
of his sacrifice and instituted his apostles as priests of the new covenant.
121. What happened in the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane? 612
Despite the horror which death represented for the sacred humanity
of Jesus “who is the Author of Life” (Acts 3:15), the human will of
the Son of God remained faithful to the will of the Father for our salvation.
Jesus accepted the duty to carry our sins in his Body “becoming obedient unto
death” (Philippians 2:8).
122. What are the results of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross?
613-617, 622-623
Jesus freely offered his life as an expiatory sacrifice, that is,
he made reparation for our sins with the full obedience of his love unto death.
This love “to the end” (John 13:1) of the Son of God reconciled all
of humanity with the Father. The paschal sacrifice of Christ, therefore,
redeems humanity in a way that is unique, perfect, and definitive; and it opens
up for them communion with God.
123. Why does Jesus call upon his disciples to take up their
cross? 618
By calling his disciples to take up their cross and follow him
Jesus desires to associate with his redeeming sacrifice those who are to be its
first beneficiaries.
124. In what condition was the body of Christ while it lay in the
tomb? 624-630
Christ underwent a real death and a true burial. However, the power
of God preserved his body from corruption.
“Jesus
Christ descended into hell;
on the third day He rose again from the dead.”
125. What is the “hell” into which Jesus descended? 632-637
This “hell” was different from the hell of the
damned. It was the state of all those, righteous and evil, who died before
Christ. With his soul united to his divine Person Jesus went down to the just
in hell who were awaiting their Redeemer so they could enter at last into the
vision of God. When he had conquered by his death both death and the devil “who
has the power of death” (Hebrews 2:14), he freed the just who
looked forward to the Redeemer and opened for them the gates of heaven.
126. What place does the Resurrection of Christ occupy in our
faith? 631, 638
The Resurrection of Jesus is the crowning truth of our faith in
Christ and represents along with his cross an essential part of the Paschal
Mystery.
127. What are the signs that bear witness to the Resurrection of
Jesus? 639-644, 656-657
Along with the essential sign of the empty tomb, the Resurrection
of Jesus is witnessed to by the women who first encountered Christ and
proclaimed him to the apostles. Jesus then “appeared to Cephas (Peter) and then
to the Twelve. Following that he appeared to more than five hundred of the
brethren at one time” (1 Corinthians 15:5-6) and to others as well.
The apostles could not have invented the story of the resurrection since it
seemed impossible to them. As a matter of fact, Jesus himself upbraided them
for their unbelief.
128. Why is the Resurrection at the same time a transcendent
occurrence? 647, 656-657
While being an historical event, verifiable and attested by signs
and testimonies, the Resurrection, insofar as it is the entrance of Christ's
humanity into the glory of God, transcends and surpasses history as a mystery
of faith. For this reason the risen Christ did not manifest himself to the
world but to his disciples, making them his witnesses to the people.
129. What is the condition of the risen body of Jesus? 645-646
The Resurrection of Christ was not a return to earthly life. His
risen body is that which was crucified and bears the marks of his passion.
However it also participates in the divine life, with the characteristics of a
glorified body. Because of this the risen Jesus was utterly free to appear to
his disciples how and where he wished and under various aspects.
130. How is the Resurrection the work of the Most Holy Trinity? 648-650
The Resurrection of Christ is a transcendent work of God. The
three Persons act together according to what is proper to them: the Father
manifests his power; the Son “takes again” the life which he freely offered (John 10:17),
reuniting his soul and his body which the Spirit brings to life and glorifies.
131. What is the saving meaning of the Resurrection? 651-655, 658
The Resurrection is the climax of the Incarnation. It confirms the
divinity of Christ and all the things which he did and taught. It fulfills all
the divine promises made for us. Furthermore, the risen Christ, the conqueror
of sin and death, is the principle of our justification and our Resurrection. It
procures for us now the grace of filial adoption which is a real share in the
life of the only begotten Son. At the end of time, he will raise up our bodies.
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