Why
on earth would we have a day to exalt a cross, an instrument of torture
and death? Why would we hang this cross, with a body on it, around our
neck?
This
could seem very strange to people who are not Christians (followers of
Christ.) And the thought of it would surely have seemed strange in the
first century as well.
Today,
as we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, we are not
only reminded of how Jesus died, but that the resurrection that
followed, which gave proof that death is not the final word, revealed
the hope of eternal life to come, after our earthly death.
The
suffering exhibited on the cross also reveals to us that our suffering
can be redemptive (saving) as well. We are united to Christ on the
cross in his, and our, suffering, and we are united to our brothers and
sisters. As a display of love, Jesus showed us just how much he loves
us, and how much we can--and should--love each other.
One
has to wonder why we would treat each other as we do sometimes, when we
have before us such a tremendous, sacrificial revelation of love.
Today
would be a great day to take a crucifix (with the corpus of of Jesus on
it) and just hold it in your hand, meditating on the depth of its
meaning, and then, allow all that it means to influence how you treat
others.
"Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim
till all the world adore his sacred name."
Janet Cassidy
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