Word to the Wise
Tuesday, September 14, 2021 - Sept. 14: The Exaltation of the Cross
[Num 21:4b-9; Phil 2:6-11; John 3:13-17]"And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." [John]
The feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross commemorates the discovery of the "true cross" by St. Helena, the mother of the emperor, Constantine, but the meaning goes deeper than that historic occurrence. The cross is incomplete without the body that it implies. It is the Body of Jesus that gives the cross its universal significance as the symbol of Christianity. When that Body is present, there is a "crucifix." When the Body is absent there is only a cross Thus, a Roman method of cruel execution is transformed into a saving instrument by the action of Jesus' sacrifice of his own life.
However, before the event of the crucifixion, Jesus warned his disciples (and us) that the life of a disciple involves carrying a cross and enduring suffering. In some cultures, it is the suffering of Jesus on the cross that is of particular spiritual significance because Jesus unites our suffering to his. (Matt. 20:28). That saving significance is highlighted in today's gospel scripture:...."so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone believes in him may have eternal life." In the Gospel According to John, the crucifixion is not just something that happened TO Jesus, but something that Jesus makes happen. It is his mission to be glorified in death and resurrection for our sakes. The cross, with or without his physical body, remains as a reminder of Jesus' mission for us and a sign of eternal life to those of us who believe in him. But, since suffering comes to all humanity, the "suffering servant" joins us in the journey through it. AMEN