Word to the Wise
Sunday, September 14, 2014 - Sept. 14 - The Exaltation of the Holy Cross
[Num 21:4b-9; Phil 2:6-11; John 3:13-17]Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped Rather he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. [Philippians]
I remember well the occasion when I saw Mel Gibson's THE PASSION. It was Ash Wednesday! Two former student parishioners of mine had come from New Orleans to visit me in San Antonio and we went to see this film. I think it is fair to say that the film does its best to be gory in depicting the physical suffering of Jesus! I recall my one thought as I left the theater with my friends: "He did that for me!"
What I saw in the film was not "exaltation" but degradation, if I focused only on the physical suffering. There was a "social" side to it as well. The early Christian community found itself having to explain why they believed in a man who had been executed as the worst kind of criminal with the worst kind of punishment! In fact, it was some time before Christianity began to display the cross or crucifixion scene as a symbol of the faith!
Yet, on Good Friday, we read the incredibly "prescient" words of Isaiah about the Suffering Servant who takes on the sins of humanity and tells us that his wounds are a healing force for us! We also have Jesus' own words in the gospel that we must take up our own cross daily to follow him. Thus the cross becomes not only the symbol of Jesus' own sacrifice on our behalf but our own daily sacrifice, whether it be physical, emotional or even spiritual. The crucifix depicts what Jesus did. The cross depicts what we can do for ourselves and for others. AMEN
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