His wounds are our health

The well-known San Damiano Cross in Assisi—that is, the cross St Francis was praying before when he heard Christ say to him, ‘Rebuild my Church’—is a remarkable and even strange representation of the crucifixion. There is a cross, and Christ is nailed to it. His wounds—in hands, feet, head and side—are there for all to see.

Like many crosses of earlier times, those present at Jesus’ crucifixion are depicted: Jesus’ blessed Mother, Mary Magdalene and St John. In this particular depiction, Longinus, the name given to the Roman soldier who acknowledged Jesus as the good Son of God, as we just heard, is also present.

None of this is particularly remarkable. And neither is the San Damiano Cross noteworthy for its artistic merit, though it is a fine religious painting. What makes it remarkable and strange is the manner in which Christ is depicted. He is not dead on the cross, as most depictions of the crucifixion present him. There is no sagging and crumpled body, no bowed head and closed eyes, no lifelessness at all.

Instead, Christ is alive. His head is upright and his eyes wide open; his body is erect and strongly held; his arms and legs are well postured, even lightly held. His face is gloriously bright, and his gaze is firmly directed towards anyone who would look on him. While pinned to the wood by the nails, it is as if Christ is standing on the cross, embracing its violence and holding it forth for us to see him.

This ‘Christ of God, the Chosen One’, this ‘great and good man’, this Son of God and one of us, who took onto himself our wounds—the messes and troubles of our lives, the injuries and evils we have done to ourselves—did this so that we might be healed. His face, then, and his crucified body show to us our wounds restored to health.

There is reason for us to see Christ alive on the cross of his death. It is so that our death—which will come to us all—will not end there but will journey on to life. When we climb onto that cross with Jesus, we take on its healing gift. On the cross, Jesus took onto himself all that leads to our death, and from there, he restored to us life. His wounds are our health. His death, our life.