Hello. Hope all is well.
It would seem ironic that we should call this day the “feast” of the Holy Cross. An installment of a gruesome, painful, long lasting way to be put to death. But we see this Cross adorn our homes and in our churches. We sign ourselves with the “Sign of the Cross”. How? Why?
Yes, what we have said to all true. But the Cross stands for us not as a horrible way to die, but that by the Cross we have been set free. The death of the Lord on the Cross stands for us as the ultimate sign of how far the Father will go to express his love.
It is only with the passage of time and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that saints began to understand and give us a view of the Cross in a new light. St. Andrew of Crete,(650-712AD) tells us “The Cross stands for Christ’s suffering because on it He freely suffered unto death. But is is also His trophy because it was the means by which the devil was wounded and death conquered.”Remember, as I have said before, the Cross is a means to an end, and that end is New Life in the Resurrected Jesus who promised that He would be with us until the end of time.
Yes, it is ironic that we should hold an instrument of death in so high esteem. But without the Cross there would be no Resurrection. The devil would still be seated upon his throne in Hades, and death would still haunt the dark corners of our world.
“We adore you O Christ, and we bless you. for by Your Holy Cross, You have redeemed the world. Amen.”
Peace and All Good,
Fr. Vinnie, osf and theBros. and Srs of theFranciscan House of Prayer.
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