Stripping of the Robes


Roots
And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull), they offered him
wine to drink, mingled with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had
crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. Matthew 27:33-35
Representation
Disrobed, his head hidden by the horizontal beam of the cross, the Suffering Servant, in all his
nakedness, remains an imposing image of life and truth. His robe, still intact and red, has the
meaning of the free offering of his life. Washed with his blood, it is also the sign that he gave his life
as "a ransom for many. "
Identification
Christ gave his blood-red robe to me and all his followers, so that we might wear it as a
garment of light. It is like a warranty of eternal life, but, at the same time, a challenge to share the
promise of eternal life in the time which is ours.

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This page, maintained by The Marian Library/International Marian Research Institute, Dayton, Ohio 45469-1390, and created by Jim Danis was last modified Wednesday, 04/18/2001 16:58:00 EDT by Jim Danis. Please send any comments to Johann.Roten@udayton.edu.

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