Story of my soul (L’histoire de mon âme). / Book by
Marie-Françoise-Thérèse Martin (Therese of Lisieux)
Why did Jesus have to die on the cross? / Lecture
script, J. Pucher 00, 2001-03-25
(Texts enclosed in a black frame are quoted from visitors to the site or other authors.)
For some time past I had offered myself to the child Jesus as his little plaything. I had said
to him that he should not treat me like a valuable toy that children just look at because they do not dare
touch it, but as a little ball of no worth whatever that he would be able to throw to the ground, kick, pierce
holes in, leave lying in a corner or press to his heart, whenever it pleased him to do so. In short, I wanted
to entertain the child Jesus, amuse him, I wanted to surrender myself completely to the unpredictability of
his childish moods. … He had heard my prayers. … In Rome Jesus pierced a hole in his little plaything
[because she did not receive permission from the Pope to enter the Carmelite convent at the age of 15]. He
wanted to see what was in it, and after he had seen it, satisfied with his discovery, he just let his little
ball fall to the ground and fell asleep. … What did he do while sleeping so sweetly, and what became of the
little abandoned ball? … Jesus dreamed that he was still playing with his toy, alternating between dropping
it and then, after letting it roll away, picking it up once more, he pressed it to his heart without ever
allowing it to slip from his child’s hand again.
O little child, my only treasure, I give myself wholly to your divine whims; I do not wish for any other joy
than to make you smile. Grant me your grace and your child’s virtues, so that the angels and saints, when I
am born into heaven, may recognize in your little bride Thérèse of the Child Jesus.
From that day the words of my dying Savior, “I am thirsty” (Joh 19,28) constantly sounded in my soul and
kindled there a fervent desire of the soul that I had never known before. I wanted to give my Beloved to
drink. Yes, I too felt myself to be consumed by the same thirst for souls. I wanted at all costs to rescue
sinners from eternal damnation.
*) Extract from Therese von Lisieux -
Geschichte einer Seele [Therese of Lisieux - Story of a soul]
This completely aberrant idea that the creator of the universe is a little child, with “unpredictable”
childish moods to which one could abandon oneself, and who might treat a human being as a “plaything” to
be kicked, pierced or left lying in a corner, is the consequence of the false Catholic doctrine of the “Mother
of God”.
For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible.
Col 1,15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
1,16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether
thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created through Him and for Him. 1,17
He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Col 1,15-17;
The Catholic church has unfortunately been extremely successful in its efforts to scale down
the creator and judge of the world, Our Lord Jesus Christ, as the “Child Jesus”, in order to enhance the
importance of the Catholic idol “Mary” as the “Mother of God”. As a result the redeeming sacrifice of
Our Lord on the Cross, and his role as mediator, are reduced to a quantité négligeable and instead
the Catholic Mary is declared to be a “mediatrix” and “bringer of salvation”. The Lord’s role as the
righteous judge of all human beings at the Last Judgment is also frequently swept under the carpet, or else
simply played down with references to the “God of wrath of the Old Testament” - although these statements
come from one of the most important books of the New Testament, the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John.
He will strike down the nations and in righteousness He judges and treads the wine press of the wrath of God.
Rev 19,11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on
it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 19,12 His eyes are a
flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except
Himself. 19,13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 19,14
And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white
horses. 19,15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He
will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.
19,16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."
Rev 19,11-16;
The last sentence above, in the extract from the book by Thérèse of Lisieux - “I wanted at
all costs to rescue sinners from eternal damnation” - and the comment by her Carmelite sisters - “She
identifies herself with the suffering Jesus and sacrifices everything for sinners” - also reveals that the
faith of this young girl has been completely misdirected by her Catholic mistresses in the cloister. Her idea
that she could rescue sinners from eternal damnation is the consequence of this false doctrine. Only one
person can accomplish this - the Son of God, Our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. In her statement above this
Catholic “saint” reveals her complete ignorance of the sacrificial death of Our Lord for all sinners of
the world.
But this is not so surprising, when we consider that it reflects the aim and the intention of the Catholic
church to blot out the redeeming sacrifice of the Lord from the memory of the faithful, in just the same way
as it has succeeded in imposing on them by suppressing the second of the Ten Commandments and “supplementing”
the Commandments by dividing the tenth into two. And as we can learn here below from the mouth of a Catholic
priest who refers to the writings of Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, this has come to such a
pass that the Catholic clergy do not even hold back from falsifying their own catechism in order to obscure
this redeeming act of Our Lord.
(See also Discourse 32: “The ten Commandments
of God and those of the Catholic Church”)
(See also Discourse 89: “BENEDICT XVI: The Jewish and
Catholic View of Jesus of Nazareth.”)
(Texts enclosed in a black frame are quoted from visitors to the site or other authors.)
What did we learn from the catechism on the question why Jesus had to suffer death on the
cross? In the fourth of the six fundamental articles of faith we are told – and I quote the exact words of
the catechism – The second Person of the Divine Trinity became man, in order to redeem us through his
death on the cross and to make us everlastingly blessed.
This was interpreted in the sense that he had to suffer on the cross in order to redeem us. Only through his
death on the cross have we been redeemed from our sins, and saved for eternal blessedness. (…)
What kind of an idea of God lies behind this? A “just” God, in the sense of one who demands satisfaction,
who calls for the blood of his own Son to be shed on the cross before he is able to forgive. In terms of our
present day feelings, this is rather a God of vengeance. Justice and satisfaction are the most important
consideration to him, and for these he even sacrifices his own Son. This is the theology of the Middle Ages,
and things are no longer seen quite in this way, nor is the gospel preached like this, but on the level of
feeling, for many individuals, especially of the older generation, it is still very much a persisting
influence. Most certainly it is not a biblical doctrine, and has nothing to do with the message of Jesus.
(…)
(This extract is taken from the lecture script “Why did Jesus have to die on the cross?” by J. Pucher,
Catholic parish priest of St. Nikolaus, Vienna.)
(See also Discourse 30: “Why did Jesus have to die on the
cross?”)
So from the Catholic point of view the sacrificial death of Our Lord on the cross for the
forgiveness of the sins of the world is “not a biblical doctrine, and has nothing to do with the message of
Jesus”. In view of the fact that the following scriptural passages state the exact opposite of this, we have
here yet another proof of the unbelievable way in which the Catholic church betrays its faithful.
Jesus Christ the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
1Jn 2,1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not
sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2,2 and
He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
1Jn 2, 1- 2;
There is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus who gave Himself as a ransom for all.
1Tim 2,5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the
man Christ Jesus, 2,6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the
proper time. 1Tim 2, 5- 6;
Our Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed.
Tit 2,13 Looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our
great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 2,14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless
deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. Tit 2,13-14;
By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hbr 10,10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the
body of Jesus Christ once for all. 10,11 Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after
time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 10,12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for
sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, 10,13 waiting from that time onward until His
enemies be made a footstool for His feet. 10,14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who
are sanctified. Hbr 10,10-14;
Just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice.
Eph 5,1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 5,2 and walk in love,
just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a
fragrant aroma. Eph 5, 1- 2;
So if the death of the Lord really should have nothing to do with the forgiveness of our sins,
the question suggests itself why the Catholic church at every Mass, on the basis of “transsubstantiation”
- the supposed transformation of a piece of dough into the body of the Son of God - sacrifices the body of the
Lord over again?
Christ offered the sacrifice for sins once for all when He offered up Himself.
Hbr 7,26 For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent,
undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; 7,27 who does not need daily, like those
high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because
this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. Hbr 7,26-27;
Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many.
Hbr 9,27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes
judgment,
28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time
for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. Hbr 9,27-28;
He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of GOD.
Hbr 10,11 Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time
the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 10,12 but He, having offered one
sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of GOD. Hbr 10,11-12;
And if we look at what Our Lord says in instituting this symbolic memorial meal, he indicates
that it is the wine, symbolizing the blood of the New Covenant, which has been poured out for the
forgiveness of the sins of the world. But seeing that for centuries the Catholic church, in its celebration of
the Mass, has actually forbidden the drinking of the wine to its faithful, reserving that privilege for the
priests, this means that based on its own doctrine the Catholic church has succeeded for all this time in
barring its faithful from receiving forgiveness for their sins.
Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.
Mt 26,27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them,
saying, "Drink from it, all of you; 26,28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured
out for many for forgiveness of sins. Mt 26,27-28;
(See also Discourse 752: “Must Christians love their
enemies? - Part 2: The Catholic view of the matter.”)