John Desing csc –
Readings: Num 21: 4-9; Phil 2: 6-11; Jn 3: 13-17
The evangelist John portrays death on the Cross as glorification. Dead to sin and God’s glory as dominion over sin will be revealed through the cross. As we celebrate the exaltation of the Holy Cross, we are called to understand the paradox of the cross as a sign of shame and death, yet it is the source of Hope and Victory.
The cross is a sign of love in as much as we believe that God shows his ultimate love for sinful humanity by allowing his only Son to die on the cross so that we may have life. To love is to respond to the needs of people whom we love at the moment when they needed us the most. We have received God’s love gratuitously, therefore, we ought to give this love to others as well. On the other hand, the cross is a sign of hope because after the crucifixion there is resurrection, indicating that all of our pain and sufferings will come to an end on the day when we will be lifted up to the realm of God’s glory.
The way of the cross is always challenging. Hence, we may grow impatient on the way just as the Israelites did. In such moments of doubt and despair we will not lose sight of God’s hope if we endure. Endurance brings glory. The readings remind us that just as Moses becomes an instrument of healing for the people, so also, we find Jesus, the new Moses who is so close to us more than anyone else desiring to help us carry our cross. In fact, when we are ready to accept our cross willingly and courageously, we learn to conform ourselves to the life of Jesus. St Alphonsa said, “A Day without suffering is a day wasted”, meaning to say that we need to be receptive to both good and not so good things that life offer us.