by Donald Senior, C.P.
From the Preface
The passion of Jesus is indeed a historical event that ultimately gave meaning and force to the entire mission of Jesus and it is a living memory, a powerful grace that gives meaning and hope to all human suffering. The gospel accounts of the passion embrace both dimensions, rooting their narratives in the historical traditions about Jesus' last days but inviting the reader to find in the passion of Jesus the ultimate meaning of human existence and Christian commitment. This presentation embraces both dimensions of the passion of Jesus. It is not for specialists but for thoughtful Christians and others who want to know more about this compelling story. By recalling the distinctive portrayal of the suffering Jesus in each of the Gospels, we invite the reader to enter deeply into the mystery of the passion and to bring one's own experience into vital contact with this core of the Christian message. This has been done by every generation of Christian in word and art and practices of piety, as the materials on the devotion to the passion recall for us. At the same time, the historical information that follows the study of the gospel texts and the accompanying illustrations remind us that the death of Jesus was not the figment of Christian imagination but an event rooted in the complexities and tensions of first century history. The bibliography provides for further study. The project is the result of a partnership between myself and Fr. Victor Hoagland, C.P., a brother Passionist. The passion narratives have been a life-long focus of my own work in Scripture, so I have provided the studies of the passion narratives. The entire presentation was Victor's idea and he has arranged for publication of this presentation in traditional paper format and electronically. He chose the illustrations and assembled the materials on archaeology and history. Some drawings included in this presentation are the work of Michael Moran, C.P., an artist whose inspired work is gaining attention across the country. As members of the Passionist religious community, it is our mission to help keep the dynamic memory of the passion of Jesus alive in the heart of the church. We offer this book to our readers in just that spirit. Preview the book online. 96 pp.; paper |
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