I was surprised when I read the details which are mentioned in the Holy Bible pertaining to the last few hours of the life of Lord Jesus Christ. Even though all 4 Evangelists have written about the Passion of Lord Jesus Christ, all what is written have been mentioned by them briefly. Most probably, it would have been an unbearable pain for them to write about the last few hours of the life of Lord Jesus Christ”. The Most Holy Apostolic Father, His Holiness Rohan Lalith Aponso, reflected the above, during the course of His Homily which he delivered in the Evening of Saturday 21st March, at the Feast of the Holy Cross which was celebrated in Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine in Sri Lanka.
Revealing the details which we were not aware before, as to how Lord Jesus Christ received the Cross on to His shoulders, the Most Holy Apostolic Father further reflected the following.
“28 Pharisees who were armed with weapons came closer to Lord Jesus Christ to take him to the due place where he was to be crucified, after Pilate gave his order for the death of Lord Jesus Christ. Out of these 28 armed Pharisees, 06 were in the group who came the previous day to Gethsemane Garden to take Lord Jesus Christ into custody”.
The Most Holy Apostolic Father who delivered His Homily from the Main Holy Altar of the Apparition Church of Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine during the celebration of the Festive High Mass of the Holy Cross, further revealed the details pertaining to the Passion of Lord Jesus Christ, which we were not aware before.
“After Lord Jesus Christ was taken into custody, first of all, the Archers took him to the middle of the Tribunal of Pilate. The Cross was brought before Lord Jesus Christ. When He stretched His Holy Arms to receive it, Oh! They made Him to kneel down at the Cross. Lord Jesus Christ kissed the Cross for 3 times. Then at once the Archers lifted Him tightly and made him to stand up. After that without any help from others, He was made to kneel down once again. At that moment they dropped the Cross at once hardly on to His shoulders”.
Lord Jesus Christ who said that, “No one knows the Son except the Father and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him”, (Matthew11/27) has Chosen and Appointed the Most Holy Apostolic Father, His Holiness Rohan Lalith Aponso, as an Apostle to this world. This is how the Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso described the collapsing of Lord Jesus Christ on this earth for the 1st time, when he addressed the devotees and the pilgrims at the Festive High Mass which was celebrated for the Glory and Honour of the Holy Cross.
“Most of the people think that Lord Jesus Christ collapsed on this earth only for 3 times when He was on His way to Mount Calvary carrying the Cross on His shoulders. These thoughts are completely wrong. He didn’t collapse precisely for 3 times like one, two and three. He collapsed number of times on this earth while He was on His way to Mount Calvary carrying the Cross on His shoulders”.
“Out of those number of times I wish to make you aware, how Lord Jesus Christ collapsed for the 1st time on this earth”.
“The Archers took Lord Jesus Christ in extremely difficult narrow roads. There were lots of wide roads on the way to Mount Calvary. At the beginning of the journey they purposely took Lord Jesus Christ in narrow roads. When Lord Jesus Christ was walking on a narrow road carrying the Cross on his shoulders, there was a tall rock on his way. It was extremely difficult to carry a heavy article on the shoulders and walk on that rock. They took Lord Jesus Christ in narrow roads like that”.
“Lord Jesus Christ gradually reached that tall rock. When he came near that rock He stopped for a moment. He felt that it was extremely difficult to carry the Cross on His shoulders and walk on that rock. The Archers pushed him in front, scolding him in foul language. At that moment Lord Jesus Christ collapsed on that rock along with the Cross. All the people who were walking along with Lord Jesus Christ stopped their journey for a moment. Then, the Pharisees shouted. ‘Lift that man up, Lift that man up, otherwise he will die in our hands.’ A person who was close to Him gave a helping hand to Him. Actually, it was not a helping hand. He pulled Him. At that moment due to the unbearable pain He was undergoing, Lord Jesus Christ cried out the word “Ah!” Then He said “Everything will be over very soon”.
His Holiness Rohan Lalith Aponso celebrates the Good Friday Service at the Apparition Church of Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine on 10th April 2009
