Glory in the cross

There are many things that distinguish our Catholic faith and practice from other expressions of Christian faith and certainly from the dominant secular faith of our culture. 

Inquirers will ask Catholics about the role of the pope, our veneration of Mary and our belief in the Eucharist as the Body of Christ. But, among these distinctively Catholic things, another stands out as truly perplexing for many people. 

Why a crucifix? The image of a crucified man is displayed prominently in every Catholic church. We find it in most Catholic homes as well. It is displayed prominently in our schools and other Catholic institutions. It is, of course, the image of Jesus crucified. It is the Son of God who, in mercy, became man to save us from our sins by enduring and conquering death. 

For Catholics, it is so common to see a crucifix that there is a tendency to take for granted the reality that it portrays. It loses its shock value. We no longer see the cross as a “scandal” or recognize “the folly” that the cross can be such a stumbling block to non-believers.

But, upon reflection, it ought to still shock us that we would give such prominence to this brutal image of a man dying in the most gruesome and undignified way possible. We even celebrate liturgically the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross each year on Sept. 14. We dedicate a day in our liturgical calendar to celebrate the glory that comes through Jesus’ willing acceptance of his brutal death motivated by merciful love for us. 
    
This is the beautiful paradox of our faith. We recognize the brutality and violence that Jesus endured for our sins, and we celebrate that the Lord in his love for us would embrace such suffering to save and rescue us from the power of death. 

It is through the cross that we are saved, and it is in the cross that we find eternal life. It is through the cross that Jesus is victorious, and we are victorious in him. Saint Irenaeus famously wrote, “The glory of God is man fully alive.” And it is only in the cross of Christ that man finds his full life, free from sin and from the power of death. Through faith we find meaning in suffering, which enables it to be embraced, accepted and conquered in Christ.
    
We live in a world that rejects the message of the cross because such a world without faith sees no meaning or value in suffering. The default position is to avoid or at least numb the pain that is such a natural part of life. 
In such a world we are encouraged to do everything for ourselves and to maximize pleasure. Many seek fulfillment in things and relationships that will never provide fulfillment, thus leading to greater frustration and even worse suffering. 
    
As missionary disciples of Jesus Christ, it is our duty to proclaim Christ, and him crucified. We are called to bring people the Good News that God took on our human nature specifically to share in our suffering, and to bring it meaning. He came so that our suffering, caused by sin, can become a means of redemption and salvation. This is the good news that our world so desperately needs to hear proclaimed because it is a message that promises and delivers fulfillment and peace in a world full of chaos and darkness.

As we celebrate the Exaltation of the Cross, let us pray that we encounter the merciful love of God through our participation in his cross and victory.