Secuencia didáctica 3

590. The last action of Christ’s Passion and Death proclaimed in the Creed is: “He descended to the dead.” The first meaning of this expression may simply be a confirmation of “died and was buried.” Christ truly and fully underwent the final test of all humans, death (cf. CCC 632). But the scriptural basis implies a second meaning, namely, Christ’s salvific work on behalf of the just

who had died before his coming (cf. CCC 633). In 1 Peter we read that Christ

“went to preach to the spirits in prison.” “The reason the Gospel was preached even to the dead was that, although condemned in the flesh in the eyes of men, they might live in the spirit in the eyes of God” (1 Pt 3:19;

4:6 ).

591. A reading from the liturgy of the Hours on Holy Saturday beautifully expresses this second meaning of Christ’s salvific work among the dead:

There is a great silence on the earth today. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to

free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the Cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. . . . I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise, let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven.

592. A third implication of Christ’s descent to the dead is the fundamental Christian truth that all who are saved are redeemed by Christ’s Passion and

Death, whose effects are not limited by time or space (cf. CCC 634-35).

This universal scope of Christ’s redemptive work grounds the possibility of salvation even for those who have never heard of the “Good News” nor known Jesus Christ (cf. LG 16; NA 2).

593. Finally, we know that Jesus Christ, the Son of God-made-man, is “the first-born of the dead” (Col 1:18). For St. Paul explains how Christ, raised from the dead, is “the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. Just as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will come to life again, but each one in proper order: Christ the first fruits and then, at his coming, all those who belong to him” (1 Cor 15:20, 23).

INTEGRATION

594. The Creedal doctrine on the Sufferings and Death of Christ proclaims central truths of our Christian Faith: God as redeeming Love, and Christ our Savior, responding to our sinful human condition. Christ, the Word-made- flesh, whose glory is that of the Father’s only Son (Jn 1:14), never reveals the Father more intensely than when dying on the Cross, loving to the end, crying out “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Lk 23:46). The glory of God shines through the Crucified Christ as nowhere else! “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM. . . .The One who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone.” “And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself” (Jn 8:28; 12:32).

595. Christ’s redemptive Death is, of course, the ground for the center of Christian

worship, the Eucharist. The Easter Prefaces proclaim that Christ, our Paschal sacrifice,

is “the true Lamb who took away the sins of the world. By dying he destroyed our death; by rising he restored our life.” The Easter Proclamation (Exsultet) even dares to proclaim:

Father, how wonderful your care for us! How boundless your merciful love!

To ransom a slave you gave away your Son. O happy fault, O necessary sin of Adam, Which gained for us so great a Redeemer!

596. By his Passion and Death Christ reached down into the deepest roots of human alienation — our separation from God, from ourselves, and from one another. The love of the crucified Christ becomes the norm, the source, the

means, and the final goal of all Christian morality. Christ tells us: “If a man wishes to

come after me, he must deny his very self, take up his cross, and follow in my steps”

(Mk 8:34). For “This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 15:12).

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

597. What is characteristic of the Christian “Good News” of salvation?

Central to the Gospel is Christ’s Cross of salvation. The Cross is the symbol of Christ’s Paschal Mystery (dying to rise to new life) and Christian discipleship:

“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross each day and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Lk 9:23-24).

598. How did St. Paul summarize the Gospel?

St. Paul summed up the Gospel he preached and had received by stating:

“Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, . . . he was buried; . . . he rose on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures”

(1 Cor 15:1-5).

“We proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and an absurdity to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Gentiles alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1:23-

24).

599. How do the sufferings of Christ save us?

Christ saved us not by the physical sufferings taken separately, but by his perfect love for his Father and for us which was expressed in his sufferings and death for us.

600. Why did Christ suffer and die?

Jesus freely and consciously went to his death to fulfill the mission he had from his Father. He saw himself fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies by “giving his life in ransom for the many” (Mk 10:45). “Our Savior Christ Jesus. . . sacrificed himself for us, to redeem us from all unrighteousness and to cleanse for himself a people of his own, eager to do what is right” (Ti 2:14).

601. How does the Creed describe Christ’s redemptive sacrifice?

The Creed describes five acts of Jesus’ redeeming sacrifice: he

suffered, was crucified, died, was buried, and descended to the dead.

602. How did St. Paul summarize Jesus’ saving work?

St. Paul described “the redemption wrought in Christ Jesus” in four steps:

• Jesus offered a sacrifice as both priest and victim; • to expiate for our sins (cf. 1 Cor 5:7; Gal 1:4); • creating a new Covenant with God in his blood;

• for us and for our salvation (cf. 1 Cor 11:25; Rom 5:6). 603. How does Christ’s saving love redeem us?

Christ redeems us in two basic acts:

• He removes our subjective guilt by bringing us God’s pardon and forgiveness, and

• He restores the objective moral order broken by our sins through his loving act of reparation.

604. How can Jesus’ Suffering and Death save us?

Because of his corporate solidarity with us sinners, Jesus could take away “the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29) as the “suffering Servant” foretold by the prophet Isaiah.

605. What is the meaning of the sentence “Christ died for our sins”?

It means Christ died because of our sins, and to overcome our sinfulness and its effects in the world. Thus he made possible our own repentance and sacrifices, to share in his redemptive work.

606. What special qualities mark Christ’s Redemption?

Christ’s redemptive Death is different from all others in that its effect is: a) universal, touching all; b) eschatological, reaching to eternal life; and c) empowering us to share in his redemptive work.

607. What is the significance of “universal” in describing Christ’s

Redemption?

Christ died “not for our sins alone, but for those of the whole world” (1

Jn 2:2). Thus,

• there is no salvation apart from Jesus Christ, • who won objective redemption for all sinners,

• by his loving obedience to his Father’s will and his love for all mankind;

• calling all to true subjective repentance for sin and loving service of their neighbor.

608. Why does Scripture emphasize redemption through the “blood of

Christ”?

In the Old Testament blood symbolizes life, cleansing from sin, and seal of the Covenant with God.

In the New Testament, Christ’s blood brings new life, taking away the sin of the world, and establishing the New Covenant (cf. Mk 14:24). 609. Is it Jesus alone who saves us?

No, it is the Father who sends His only begotten Son to redeem us from our sins, and to give meaning and purpose to our lives through the fellowship inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Thus our redemption, like our creation and sanctification, is a work of the Triune God: Father, Son and Spirit.

610. What does Jesus’ redemption demand of us? We are called to radical conversion of heart: • trusting in God, our loving Father,

• who grounds our own innate dignity and worth, • as well as that of all persons, and

• calls us to follow Christ His Son in self-giving service and simplicity of life.

611. How does Jesus help us toward this radical conversion? Jesus leads us to:

• basic trust in God as our heavenly Father, • deeper, more authentic self-respect,

• acceptance of others as His beloved children, and • authentic hierarchy of values in everyday life. 612. How does this help of Jesus reach us today?

Jesus “frees” us today by touching us • through his inspired Word in Scripture; • in his saving symbolic acts, the Sacraments;

• through the service and witness of his disciples in the Christian community; and

• especially through his Holy Spirit, indwelling in each of us. 613. What is the meaning of “Christ descended to the dead?”

This means that Christ really and fully entered into the human experience of death, that his salvific ministry is universal, extending to all who had died before him, and that he is truly the Savior of all, including even those who have never heard of his “Good News.”

Christ Is Risen