Feast of the exaltation of the Cross
“WE adore You, O Christ, and we praise You because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.” These opening words of the Via Crucis explain the vitality of the cross of Christ in Christianity. For centuries now, the Via Crucis or the Stations of the Cross has been one of the most popular pious devotions depicting the suffering and death of our Lord. The fourteen stations emanated from the simulation of Via Dolorosa or the Way of Sorrow in Jerusalem which is believed to be the actual path Jesus walked to Mount Calvary. The purpose of this devotion is to assist the Christian faithful to make a spiritual journey through meditation on the mysteries of Christ’s passion and death. It is not meant to replicate Christ’s suffering. It is rather an invitation to contemplate the cross and God’s love for us as shown by Jesus by dying on the cross for our salvation. For a Christian, a cross is not a symbol of defeat but of love that triumphed on Good Friday. It is a sign of God’s mercy to all of creation.
Today as we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, we tremble before a mystery that is unfolded to us in Jesus Christ’s offering of himself on the cross. The triumph of the cross is the triumph of God’s love in Jesus Christ. And as the love of God triumphs, we have eternal life. We can only be grateful for being recipients of that love and life.
Reflecting on the cross of Christ, Pope Francis said, “God takes this course for love! There’s no other explanation: love alone does this. Today we look upon the Cross, the story of mankind and the story of God. We look upon this Cross, where you can try that honey of aloe, that bitter honey, that bitter sweetness of the sacrifice of mystery, not so much to understand - yes, to understand- but to feel deeply the salvation of this mystery.”
Many people today are afraid of the cross. Even among Christians, there seems to be a growing preference for an image of Christ that is risen - a Christ who resurrected rather than a suffering Jesus. Yet the invitation of today’s celebration for us is to ponder on Jesus crucified for it is there we encounter the fullness of the love of God that is shown through the sacrifice and self-giving of His only begotten Son. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is a concrete manifestation of his love. Jesus’ offering of himself out of love is what makes the cross truly triumphant.
Today is a good time to pray the Via Crucis. And in praying the Via Crucis, let us meditate on the tremendous love of God for us in Jesus Christ. In Jesus, God has concretized his mercy and compassion for us all. Let us thank him for the triumph of the cross, the triumph of his love. “We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.”