“Love unto death. I think in my younger days the Passion sort of said: “Ouch!” It was a lesson in endurance of pain, I suppose.

Today, after all these years of Passionist living and Passion-preaching I believe I can say it means: love unto death, even the death of the Cross. The recollection of the crucifixion shames me into a bit of frugality at times, or even a less attention paid to some pain. But I think I can say that the “I thirst” our Lord expressed on the Cross comes across to me as a desire He has for my love, and for me expressing my love in relations with others in daily life.

The Memoria Passionis is a stimulus, often a brake against selfishness and a constant inspiration to try harder.”

Fr. Ward Biddle, CP, 3.27.08


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