Volumes have been and no doubt could still be written until the end of time about the exact nature of the value of the CROSS OF CHRIST! And teachings and homilies and lessons could also go on until that grand and glorious day we are all waiting for – the fulfillment of everything that happened as a result of JESUS DYING ON THAT CROSS. Today, hopefully, we can summarize it in a "bite size" of a few hundred words and about 5 minutes.
The only word that can truly be associated with the CROSS OF CHRIST is "GLORY!" "The Cross of Christ" is the "Glorious Cross of Christ!" Yes, an instrument of death – the very worst kind of capital punishment that the Roman Empire could conceive of – this instrument of death is the only one in human history to be also an instrument of LIFE! By freely and willingly and lovingly choosing to die on that Cross, Jesus transformed DEATH INTO LIFE – for himself and for all of us! By the same act he transformed all of the forces of DARKNESS INTO LIGHT – the brilliant shining light of a New Day! By the same act he transformed everything about HATRED AND ANGER AND RESENTMENT INTO LOVE – for those who want to participate in it and benefit from it! NOW WE HAVE A CHOICE – where before Good Friday – we were all doomed to death, darkness and hatred as enemies of God forever!
How could the cross therefore be anything but GLORIOUS!
St. Paul understood this perfectly! In the second reading today he says that Jesus humbled himself in an unprecedented way in order to become obedient to the point of death! EVEN DEATH ON A CROSS! Paul knew the incredible stigma that came from being sentenced to crucifixion – only the lowest of the low were nailed to a cross after being whipped and scourged like an animal! He therefore goes on to say that because of this, the Person and the Name of Jesus is exalted into and above the heavens – and that the instrument of death has taken on a whole new meaning forever! THE GLORIOUS CROSS OF CHRIST – is now our JOY, our HOPE and our PEACE! – because he has freely given us a share in its merits!
Because of it, we each now have the chance to get to heaven!
In the first reading today we read how Moses raised up a seraph snake mounted on a pole so that the people who had been bitten by a seraph snake could be healed – and they were. This quite obviously prophesied when Jesus would be raised up on a cross (as one who adopted the human form of the children of Adam who had been seduced by a snake) – and that by his death on the cross – the power of the snake would be mortally wounded – and that when we look upon him who is Crucified – we would find real solace and healing and hope! – no matter what our pain, our suffering, our distress might be!
It is very important for Catholics to remember first and foremost of all the significance of the DEATH OF JESUS ON THE CROSS. If that did not happen, then, there would be NO REASON FOR JOY AT ALL, NO REASON FOR HOPE AT ALL – NO POSSIBILITY OF PEACE at all – for anyone, ever! The symbol of the Crucified Christ is enormously important in a Catholic church. When we look up at it, when we look upon it, when we look into it, when we pray to Jesus whose image is on it – let us each and every one SEE THE GLORY OF GOD, SEE THE GLORY OF CHRIST JESUS, SEE THE GLORIOUS SPIRITUAL LIFE AND GRACE OF THE CHURCH flowing from the wounded side of the dead Jesus on the Cross!
(So often you will see a dying Jesus on the Cross – for example the one that is in front of the altar right here - but this just does not deliver the same conclusive message as it would if he were dead). Until that moment of death, there still was a chance that he could have backed out of the whole project – and his Father would have rescued him if he asked him to. But he didn't, he went through with it! HE LOVES US SO
Perhaps this week we can think about what might be needed here at St. Ambrose so that we could always gather here "in the shadow of the GLORIOUS CROSS OF CHRIST CRUCIFIED" – our source of JOY, and HOPE and PEACE!
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