Christ, in every sense, makes himself human, including by the ignominy of his death. Tortured on the rough wooden cross, because people with power felt threatened by him, he gave his life as an innocent victim for his friends. He gave his life for us while we were still sinners. Then he turned to his Father and said, "Forgive them Lord, for they know not what they do." Was he crucified because his persecutors could not recognize his divinity? Or was it because they could not recognize his humanity? Isn't it always the case that those who torture have failed to recognize shared humanity with their victims? Our first duty to others is to recognize the humanity we share with them. We are told that what we do for the poor, prisoners, the sick, we do for Our Lord, and when we failed to help those in need, we have failed him In the Lord's Prayer we ask for our forgiveness on the basis tha...