Cross, To Crucify, Crucifixion

Jesus carrying the cross

Jesus Christ gave his life on the cross to redeem the human race. The Christian follows the Christ and prepares their Soul for Heaven by accepting to carry their own cross as well, that is to bear with love and resignation the Trials that God allows in their life.

In "The Gospel as it was revealed to me"

The cross, carrying one’s cross

Is there still someone who, because he serves me, claims that I am his servant and that I continuously perform miracles in his favor, making his life a flowery carpet, pleasant, humanly glorious? My path, my work, my service, is the cross, suffering, renunciation, sacrifice. I have gone through it. Let those who want to say “mine” follow me.^[1]
Symbolism of the Cross.^[2]
Whoever does not take up their cross to follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever wants to keep their life will lose it.^[3]
Whoever loves his father, … his life more than me" - "Carrying one’s cross."(^[4]–^[5]) and ^[6]
Let everyone take up their cross as I will take mine... And follow me with their cross.(^[7]-^[8]-^[9]) and ^[10]
When you have lifted up the Son of man...^[11]

The crucifixion of Jesus

The Way of the Cross (The Via Dolorosa) – Jesus meets his mother – the veil of "Veronica" – Jesus falls under the cross – Simon of Cyrene.^[12]
The crucifixion: stripping, nailing, agony, death.^[13]
John recounts to the Apostles the crucifixion he witnessed.^[14]
At the foot of the cross there was a blooming violet plant and your Blood fell drop by drop on the flowering violet…^[15]

In the other works of Maria Valtorta

The Notebooks of 1943

Catechesis of April 22: I remained with my lips pressed against those pierced feet as if I were drinking from a source that is both freshness and ardor. A spiritual sensation, but so vivid it seems real...^[16]
Catechesis of May 13: On Holy Friday, I saw for the first time Jesus crucified, between the two thieves, at the top of Golgotha, a vision that lasted for months, not continuous, but very frequent […] I have thought about it and I have never seen a painting like my vision.^[17]
Catechesis of June 7: I encourage my weakness and restrain my flesh with the cross of Christ. Only clinging to the crucified Christ can I keep my Soul upright.^[18]
Catechesis of December 29: […] The idea of the executioners was to suspend me by the carpals, just above the wrist joint, to make the suspension stronger. And indeed, after stretching me out on the cross, they pierced my right hand at that spot […]

But since the maker of the scaffold had marked the left hole (it was customary to mark the nail spots to make it easier to drive them into the thick wood and to suspend more firmly a body placed not horizontally but vertically and supported only by three long nails) further away from the carpals of my hand, it was decided, after stretching my arm until my tendons tore, to drive the nail into the center of the palm, between two metacarpal bones. (...)^[19]

Notes and references

[1] EMV 100

[2] EMV 256

[3] EMV 265

[4] Matthew 10:37-39

[5] Luke 10:25-33

[6] EMV 281

[7] Matthew 16:21-28

[8] Mark 8:31

[9] Luke 9:21-27

[10] EMV 346

[11] EMV 507

[12] EMV 608

[13] EMV 609

[14] EMV 631

[15] EMV 638

[16] Catechesis of April 22, 1943

[17] Catechesis of May 13, 1943

[18] Catechesis of June 7, 1943

[19] Catechesis of December 29, 1943

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