Exaltation of the Holy Cross September 14, 2008

Numbers 21: 4b-9 Philippians 2: 6-11 John 3: 13-17

Over the years I have mentioned that one of the ways that I use for relaxation is to read mystery novels which are situated in ancient Rome. In doing this, I have discovered not only a way of diversion and entertainment, but also a means of growing in my appreciations of our Faith. To a certain extent, this was an unexpected result. So, how did it happen?

A good novelist, in my way of thinking, in addition to telling a story in an historical context, such as ancient Rome, also has enough sense or understanding of the history involved to provide, along with the development of the plot, good information or insight into the times, the society, the practices which take place providing the context of the story. In the various books I have read, the authors relate the intertwining of the religious beliefs of the times with their stories. Thus they touch upon the mythology of a whole race of gods who parallel the human experience. Often these “gods” enter into the world and interfere with the history of the time in order to solve a problem. In reading of these various beliefs and practices, I have come to an awareness on the contrast with the Christian faith which grew and developed at that time. In a particular way, I have come to appreciate the true challenge, the true devotion and faith which was needed in order to proclaim and to believe, even to die for, faith in Jesus Christ. It was a genuine commitment to the message which he taught in word and action, the message of the totality of God’s love for creation, for humanity, for us.

That contrast, that challenge, that contradiction to all that was understood at that time can be found, in a particular way, in the central sign and symbol of our faith, the cross. It can be found in the fact that Jesus Christ, God who became man, suffered and died on the ultimate instrument of torture and death in Roman times, the cross.

In the religion of the times, if a pagan god is said to come into the world, that god often did so only for a short time. The god or goddess assumed a human appearance, like putting on a costume, in order to achieve a particular purpose, to solve a problem and thereby seem to change the flow of history. In the faith which we as Christians proclaim, not only has the one God been in an on-going relationship with us in history, as the Old Testament recounts, but now, God, in the second person of the Trinity, the Word of God, came into the world and lived the totality of human life. He experienced conception, birth, growth, ministry, rejection, betrayal and death. That death was according to the lowliest means of execution reserved for the worst elements of society, death by crucifixion.

The cross, for us, is the sign of the total love of God for us. The cross is the sign, the symbol, the ever-present reminder to us that no matter the challenges and difficulties of daily life, God’s love for us is so complete that we can look at that sign, at that symbol, at the crucified Christ with a faith and trust that is complete because it is the sign of God’s complete and unconditional love for us.

Not only did Christ die on the cross for us, he even overcame death through his resurrection. This overcoming of so gruesome a death in the resurrection makes real for us, in our faith, that all the possibilities of life are open to us. The love revealed on the cross culminated in the defeat of death on the cross in the resurrection. What can be a more clear revelation to us? No one or no thing can beat us, can defeat us because of the love of God for us so thoroughly made known to us on the cross.

Every choice that we have, every decision that we make in our lives, in our relationships with the world and with God can and ought to be guided by the faith that is ours, by the belief we can proudly and courageously proclaim, that the love of God for us in made known on the cross of Jesus Christ.