The Power of the Cross

Sometimes, it seems, we can grow immune to the power of the cross. In the busy lives we lead, even in the Church, we can forget to stand in humble gratitude before the crucified Christ. Today, we celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy Cross as a reminder to lift high the Cross in our hearts and in our lives.

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross began in the 4th century to commemorate the discovery of the True Cross by Saint Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, and the dedication of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. On September 14, 335 AD, the relic was publicly shown to the faithful, known as the “exaltation” or “raising up” of the cross. 

Why do we exalt the Cross? Because St. Paul reminds us of this: “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” It is the power of God’s love at work in our world. It is a contradiction to those who do not believe – why, in fact, would we exalt an instrument of death? As Pope Francis said: “We do not exalt any cross whatsoever or all crosses: we exalt the Cross of Jesus, because in it God’s love for humanity was fully revealed. That’s what the Gospel of John reminds us of in today’s liturgy: ‘God so loved the world that He gave his only Son’ (3:16).”

Today, we do not exalt the cruelty of the Cross but the love that God showed to humanity by accepting death on the Cross. God loved the world, he still loves the world, and in an intimate way he loves each and every one of us in this world. Take a moment today and look to the Cross of Christ; think of the mystery of God who came to live with us, suffer with us, and ultimately redeem us with His love.

Finally, another thought from Pope Francis: “Crucifixes are found all around us: on necks, in homes, in cars, in pockets. What good is this, unless we stop to look at the crucified Jesus and open our hearts to him, unless we let ourselves be struck by the wounds he bears for our sake, unless our hearts swell with emotion and we weep before the God wounded for love of us.”