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The Stigmata of Jesus Christ THE STIGMATA OF JESUS CHRIST Biblical & Theological Reflections [Diego Velasquez] Let us look on the One we have pierced … [cf, Zc 12:10, 14; Jn 19:37; Rv 1:7] Vol. I: SPRING-TIME FEAST OF THE PRECIOUS BLOOD Rev.Joseph HENCHEY, CSS 2008 PRECIOUS BLOOD 2 … Here we have an anchor for our soul … Reaching right through, beyond the veil … beyond the Second Veil, called the Holy of Holies … a living opening through the Curtain, that is, His Body …[cf. Heb 6:19; 9:3; 10:20] ✞✞✞ Mss B # 1312: …If you wish to see me, look for me in the wound of the side of Christ. For it is there that I dwell; and here it will be easy to find me. You will search in vain in any other place. [St. Gaspar Bertoni - For ‘Low’ Sunday, April 5, 1807 - Verona, in St. Paul’s of Campo Marzio]. Mss B# 1771: His side, opened after His death, is used to show us that Heart, that same Heart wounded by the lance, that WOUND RETAINED IN HIS GLORIOUS BODY, render the Heart so sweet, evident, divine, so much so that it is impossible to venerate the Wounded Heart without remembering and venerating His immense love... [St. Gaspar Bertoni, Stigmatine Founder - Sermon on Sacred Heart] ✞ ✞✞✞ ✞ PRECIOUS BLOOD TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 TABLE of CONTENTS A Biblical and Theological Background Preface 6 Foreword 7 Partial Bibliography 8 Presentation: 11 [1] Contemplation of Jesus Christ in Hebrews [St. Thomas] 11 [2] Comparison of Icons 16 A. OT Background: Texts of Zechariah 19 Presentation 19 a. The “pierced one” (Zc 12:10, ff.) 19 b. The shepherd who is struck by God (Zc 13:7) 21 1) The Lamb as Paschal Holocaust (Exodus) 2) The Lamb as Servant (Isaiah 53) 3) The Lamb as Shepherd (Ezechiel) c. The eschatological streams (Zc 13:1) 25 B. THEOLOGY & LITURGY OF the LAMB 26 Presentation 26 1. Importance of Blood 26 2. Institution of the Pasch 28 3. Mutual Covenant 28 4. Victim of Expiation 31 5. Purification of Sanctuary 34 Summary 36 Ist EXCURSUS: Precious Blood [1 Peter] 38 Presentation Patristic Insights Medieval Doctors [Comments on 1 P] Summary EXCURSUS II: The Sacred Side 47 Introduction [Jn 7; Further Reflections] Grain of Wheat [Jn 12] One should die [Jn 11] Good Shepherd [Jn 10] Immolation of Only Begotten [Jn 3] Servant – Lamb of God [Jn 1] Self-Oblation [Jn 17] PRECIOUS BLOOD TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 C. NT THEMES 53 1. The Calvary Scene [Jn 19:34] 53 2. The Pierced Side of Christ [Jn 19:34]: 59 Introduction 60 a. St. Augustine 65 b. St. Thomas Aquinas 74 c. St. Bonaventure 88 D. BIBLICAL DARKNESS 90 Intrduction [Ps 130; Jb 4:12-21. Ws 18:1-41; Mk 15:33 [par.] 90 Presentation 99 1. Three Hours of Darkness of Golgotha 99 2. OT Darkness 100 1.] Exodus Fire in the Night [EX 10:21-29; WS 17:1-18:4] 2.] Prophetic Day of the Lord [Am 8:9; Jl 2:28-32; Ac 2:17-21] 3.] The Coming of Light on this Day Reflections 110 E. THE TEARING OF THE TEMPLE VEIL [Mk 15:34] – 114 [and His Tunic [the Church] that was not torn asunder Presentation 114 1. The Veil of the Temple of Jerusalem 115 2. Key of Interpretation 117 a. Mk in General b. Mk 11-12Mk 13-15: in the Passion c. The verb of tearing [schizomai ] [1] Baptism in Jn [2] Baptism in Mk d. Caiphas 3. Other NT Writings 127 a. Mt 27:51 b. Lk 23:45 4. Temple Veil in Hebrews - Death of the High Priest 129 A. Gethsemane 129 B. Purification of the Temple 136 C. Second Veil 141 5. COMPARISONS 164 1.] The Pierced Side of Jesus 2.] Mk compared with Mt, Lk, Heb, Jn PRECIOUS BLOOD TABLE OF CONTENTS 5 6. The Sign of the Torn Veil 167 a. The Temple made by human hands b. The Temple not made by Human Hands c. Again, the Baptism and the opened sky Summary 7. Theological Reflections 174 [A] The Mystery of Jesus’ Filial Obedience 174 [B] The Mystery of Jesus’ Abandonment: To/ By the Father 180 [C] The Mystery of Jesus’ Constitutional Filiation 193 F. ECCLESIAL TRADITION 202 1. Theological Development through the Centuries [Tromp, SJ] 202 2. Sacred Heart Liturgy & Devotion 204 3. Magisterium 205 a. Divinum Illud Munus 205 b. Mystici Corporis 206 In Vatican II 207 a. SC 5 207 b. LG 3 213 Summary 217 CORROLARIES 218 [I] The FIAT of Jesus 225 [II] His Face FIXED toward Jerusalem 213 [III] PERFORATIO 234 ✞ ✞✞✞ ✞ PRECIOUS BLOOD PREFACE 6 Preface Twice Vatican Council II spoke of the Church being “born from the side of Christ” (cf. LG 3; SC 5). These two texts seem to have been the culmination of a long interest in papal documents, particularly of the recent Magisterium, concerning 1 the Wounded Side of Christ. In one of his great encyclicals, Pope Pius XII commented on the Wounded 2 Side in connection with the love of Jesus for God the Father - and for all of the adopted sons and daughters of God. The Wounded Sacred Side is a remarkable revelation – in both word and deed – bringing the believer to an ever deeper response and trust in the mercy of God. These biblical reflections are an attempt to meditate on the mystery of the mercy of God from the perspective of the Wounded Side of Christ. Basically, these reflections will be “biblical”, and the attempt is made here to sound the depths of the charism of the Community called the Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata of our Lord Jesus Christ – of which I am a member. The titular feast of this Congregation is the Friday after the IInd Sunday of Easter, where the Church reflects on the Sorrowful Wounds inflicted on Good Friday [cf. Jn 19: 17, ff., 33,ff] – then, on the sending of the Apostles in this context: the Lord sends his Apostles, after sharing with them the peace and joy of His resurrection. In showing His hands and His side, He sends His chosen ones on the Apostolic Mission of forgiveness and mercy. Jesus sends, just as the Father sends Him (cfr Jn 20:19, ff.) It is this mystery, in connection with the Wounded Side of Christ, that will be the content of this course: a mystery pondered. Rev. Joseph Henchey, C.S.S. 1 cfr. The published doctoral thesis: Martin L. Smith, Vatican II on the Wounded Side of Christ in Context and Background. Rome: Pontificia Universitas Gregoriana. Doctoral Dissertation. Rome 1980. 2 cfr. Rafael Criado, SJ. “Los Simbolos del Amor divino en el Antigo Testamento”, in Cor Jesus: Commentationes in Litteras Enciclicas ‘Haurietis Aquas’, Vol. I, Pars Theologica. Rome: Herder 1959, pp. 413-460. PRECIOUS BLOOD FOREWORD 7 FOREWORD You must strike the rock, and water will flow from it for the people to drink. (cf. Ex 17:6) See now, he is the God of my salvation, I have trust and no fear, for Yahweh is my strength, my song, he is my salvation. And you will draw water joyfully from the Springs of salvation (cf Is 12:2, f.) They were all baptized into Moses in this cloud and in this sea: and all ate the same spiritual food and all drank the same spiritual drink, since they all drank from the spiritual rock that followed them as they went, and that rock was Christ (cf 1 Co 10:2, ff.) On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood there and cried out: If any man is thirsty, let him come to me! Let the man come and drink who believes in me! As Scriptures says; “From his breast shall flow fountains of living water.” (cf Jn 7:37, ff.) When they came to Jesus, they found that he was already dead, and so instead of breaking his legs, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a lance; and immediately there came out blood and water . .” (cf Jn 19:33, f.). Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you’ and showed them His hands and His feet…As the father sent Me, so am I sending you…Put your finger here, here are My hands. Give Me your hand; put it into My side. Doubt no longer, but believe…My Lord and my God! [cf. Jn 20: 19, ff.] … everyone will see Him, even though who have pierced Him … [Rv 1:7]. ✞✞✞ PRECIOUS BLOOD BIBLIOGRAPHY 8 Brief Bibliography [Commentaries on: Is 53; Zc 12-13; Ho 6; Lk’s Passion Narratives; Jn 19-20] St. Augustine, Commentary on Gospel of John in: Select Library of the Christian Church. Nice and Post-Nicene Fathers. Vol. 7. First Series. Reprint: Hendrickson Publishers. St. Thomas Aquinas, Commentarium in Joannem ✞ Pius XIth, Quas Primas. Encyclical Letter on the Feast of Christ the King. December 11, 1925, Holy Year. The Sacred Heart and World Distress. Encyclical Letter May 3, 1932. Pius XII, Haurietis Aquas: On Devotion to the Sacred Heart. Encyclical Letter May 15, 1956. ✞ BROWN, Raymond, The Gospel According to John. Anchor Bible. Doubleday John 1-12 – Volume 29 John 13-21 – Vol. 29 A - The Death of the Messiah 2 Volumes - Doubleday. CARMINATI, SCJ, E’ venuto nell;acqua e nel sangue. Riflessione biblico- Patristica. Bologna: EDB 1976 De La POTTERIE, SJ, Ignace, Il mistero del cuore rafitto. Fondamenti biblici Della spiritualita’ del Cuore di Gesu’ . Studi BIblici. Bologna: EDB 1988. GREEN, Joel B.
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