Exaltation of the Cross (A)

Nm 21:4b-9; Ps 78:1-2, 34-38; Phil 2:6-11; Jn 3:13-17

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Why do we celebrate the presence of the cross in our lives as Christians?

The cross is an instrument of torture and death, which the Romans used to punish criminals and enemies of the Roman Empire. For people of olden times, the cross was a symbol of pain and death, but not until our Lord was crucified and died on the cross. Because of Jesus, the cross has become for many a powerful symbol of salvation and victory over sin and death.

The cross reminds us of God’s great love for humanity. The gospel states that Jesus was sent by the Father in order to save us from eternal damnation. ^“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (Jn 3:16-17).

The cross also reminds us of the magnitude of Jesus sacrifice for the sake of the human race. The second reading describes it well: “Though he was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross” (Phil 2:6-8).

Furthermore, the cross tells us that believing in Jesus can save us. “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life” (Jn 3:14-15). To believe in Jesus means to make his life our own. We have to follow his example of self-denial and daily carrying of the cross. Jesus turned the cross, a symbol of defeat, into a symbol of triumph. By our own sacrificial actions, we also can bring life, healing and comfort to people.

A little boy said to his father, “Dad, do you love me?”

“Yes, of course,” the father replied.

“How much?” the boy asked.

The father extended his arms to his side and proudly exclaimed, “This much!”

The boy reacted with a smile and said, “Dad, you are like Jesus.”