Bishop Giles published this on facebook yesterday and it is so interesting and so worthy of our time that it's being posted here for you:



"I am in Atlanta and was reading St. Augustine. I find his interpretation of various scriptural numbers very interesting -- principally the numbers 7, 10, 40, 50. He states that there are many more interpretations that he does not have the time to mention. I began to wonder about the scourging of our Lord -- 40 less one. I know from other readings that to scourge more than 40 meant to scourge to death. It was considered the final death blow. Therefore, because they wanted to crucify Him, they limited the number to 39. There are ten commandments that we break in four ways (thought, word, deed, and -- the one everyone forgets -- omission) this makes a total of 40. Christ's scourging was not complete. His sacrifice (as St. Paul tells us) must be completed by us. Rather than have us die in making the necessary reparation for our sins, Jesus has taken 39 of our lashes leaving us to receive only one. This little bit of penance/sacrifice on our part fills up that which was lacking in Christ's sacrifice. Christ has died for us and offered a perfect sacrifice, but for that sacrifice to become applicable to us we must take the final blow ourselves. We must willingly (lovingly) embrace our daily crosses with Him. The sacrifices that God and the Church demand of us are nothing compared to what we actually deserve. Mathematically we might consider it 1/40th or a miniscule part. Considering this we are more convinced of the heinousness of our sins and the magnificent love of God for us. Truly we must see great cause for rejoicing in the wondrous life that God has given us, His love for us, and the ease that He creates for us to make reparation and return to Him."

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