With Christ in the Paschal Mystery: Five Views of the Cross

By Fr. Kevin Walsh

For three evenings Professor Robert Krieg, who has been teaching theology at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana for many years, invited us to reflect with him on five views of the cross as a means to more fully appreciate Christ in the paschal mystery.  Offering his presentations remotely we were able to consider how the Second Vatican Council communicated in its teaching a vision of “all people being drawn by the Holy Spirit into the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ, that is, into a graced participation in Jesus Christ’s life, suffering, death resurrection and ascension.”  Professor Krieg noted that the Council upholds the universality of the Paschal Mystery in article n. 22 of its Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes (1965).

Citing Gaudium et Spes and material from the catechism, we were given the opportunity to reflect on two questions: (a) First, why was Jesus Christ’s suffering and death salvific/redemptive for humankind? And (b) second, how may we enter more fully in our daily lives into the Paschal Mystery and thus into closer union with Christ?  The two questions were answered in relation to the Christian tradition’s five classic views of the Cross.  Each of these approaches speaks directly about Christ and indirectly about us.

The Cross as Metanoia
The Cross as Victory over Evil
The Cross as Repentance
The Cross as the Sacrament of Love
The Cross as God’s No and Yes

Given the invitation by Dom Elias of Gethsemani for our community to reflect on the Paschal Mystery as we pray our fragility within the larger fragility of the Order, Professor Krieg’s words have been most helpful and are making a wonderful contribution to our prayer.