Staring at the Bloody Cross of Jesus
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:date: 2016-12-23T19:43:16
:status: draft
:category: faith
:tags: theology, suffering, cross

I was thinking and ruminating some thoughts on the value of
contemplating sufferings of Christ. However, I think I would need
to use pictures, so sermon format would work me better, I guess.

What I mean is that if you put the word “crucifix” into
`images.google.com <https://images.google.com>`_ or `flickr.com
<https://flickr.com>`_ you get some incredibly sadistic bloody
images.

.. image:: {filename}/images/6305868417_95ba8d8886_o.jpg
    :scale: 33%
    :align: center
    :alt: Blood Crucifix, Inside the Basilica de Bom Jesus, Old Goa, India
    :target: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cristic/6305868417/in/photostream/

Or perhaps images, which seem to gratiuously enjoy the bloody
details of the Biblical story.

.. image:: {filename}/images/Descent_from_the_Cross_(Rubens)_July_2015-1a.jpg
    :scale: 33%
    :align: center
    :alt: Descent from the Cross by Peter Paul Rubens
    :target: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Descent_from_the_Cross_(Rubens)

Or images which with their apparent obsession with physical
suffering of Christ seem just weird.

.. image:: {filename}/images/Mantegna_Andrea_Dead_Christ.jpg
    :scale: 33%
    :align: center
    :alt: Lamentation of Christ by Mantegna
    :target: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamentation_of_Christ_(Mantegna)

or

.. image:: {filename}/images/Annibale_carracci,_salma_di_cristo.jpg
    :scale: 33%
    :align: center
    :alt: Corpse of Christ
    :target: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpse_of_Christ

What in the world these people thought is profit of staring at
these incredibly gory images? Considering also, that most
believers couldn't read then, the meditation in front of
statutes like this contributed to the large part of their
spiritual life?

I think there is a lot of benefits.

Let me add a piece of my own testimony. For last ten or so years
I have listened to the Czech Radio show “Stories of the Twentieth
Century” (“Příběhy dvacátého století”).  Most of them are
horrific stories of suffering of Czech people under Nazis or
Communists (I am afraid I know all Auschwitz survivors by name at
this point ;)).

Unfortunately, the Czech history of the twentieth century is very
non-American, in having really few supermen changing the course
of history themselves. There is a way more heroism in the noble
suffering and keeping hope against all visible reality. Most of
these stories are just horror stories, often such I cannot sleep
for long time. Many times I wondered why do I do it to myself.

Earlier this year I was talking with some of my Red Hat
colleagues and we got to the politics. I was listening to them
and I couldn't make head and tails of what they were talking
about. Pastor John commented on my attitude towards Czech
politicians (and our Mr. President) as too bitter and
disrespectful. Well, he hasn't heard those colleagues of mine!
I am just rainbows and unicorns comparing to them. It was strange
experience.

Yes, I am a bit older then them so I remember better the
Communist times, but while listening to them, it came to me that
part of my attitude is actually probably created by listening to
that radio show. Comparing to the life in the Czech version of
GULAG anything our current politicians manage to do is just
a kiss full of love and honesty. Perhaps it makes me too
complacent with the shenanigans of the Czech politics.

For somebody it is the history of Czechoslovak of 1950s', for
other it could be even more distant history (after listening to
the episode of a history podcast about the Justinian Plague of
the 6th century, current life is just cheerful), but the point is
that I think we need to be able to look at the life sub specie
aeternitatis.

And, then there are of course other benefits:

    And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants
    of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that,
    *when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced*, they
    shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and
    weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.

    -- Zacharias, 12:10

Looking at the wounds of the one whom we pierced, should lead to
the better appreciation of the Jesus sacrifice on the Cross.

Or the verse you mentioned in your last sermon:

    For to this you have been called, because Christ also
    suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might
    follow in his steps.

    -- 1. Peter, 2:21

We are not supposed to live the life of our glory, but the life
of cross, and all glory should go to Him, who gave His life for
us (no, it is not about the spiritual masochism and depression,
but that's other sermon). Some good soul translated to Czech
a book "In His Steps" by Charles Sheldon (that's the book where
"What Would Jesus Do?" phrase comes from), and it was one of the
first Christian books I read after my conversion. Yes, now
looking at it it was a bit too social gospel liberal theology,
but it makes me think sometimes (not often enough, I am afraid
… more contemplating of the Cross for me, I guess).

* Listening to those stories is a great antidote to any notion of
  the theology of prosperity.

Now, the question is what to do with this?