Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

The Cross: From Suffering to Glory

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross—a day that calls us to reflect not only on the meaning of the Cross itself, but also on how it has become the central symbol of our Christian faith. It is a celebration filled with paradox, because we are rejoicing in an instrument that was originally meant for death, humiliation, and torture. Yet, through Christ’s passion and love, what once stood for shame and defeat now stands tall as a sign of our hope, our salvation, and ultimate victory.

Our readings today beautifully guide us into this mystery. In the Book of Numbers, the people of Israel are afflicted by serpents after their rebellion, but God, in His mercy, provides a remedy by instructing Moses to lift up a bronze serpent. All who looked upon it in faith were healed. This moment prefigures what Jesus reveals in the Gospel of John—how He, too, would be lifted up on the Cross that all who look upon Him with faith might have eternal life.

St. Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, brings us to the heart of the mystery. Jesus, though in the form of God, did not cling to His divine status. He emptied Himself, becoming obedient even to death—death on a Cross. Because of this, God exalted Him and gave Him the name above every name. Here is the paradox: through suffering came glorification, through death came life, through submission came victory. This is the power of the Cross.

The Cross does not just stand at the center of Christ’s mission—it stands at the center of our lives as Christians. From the very beginning, the Cross marks us. At baptism, whether as children or as adults entering the Church, the priest traces the sign of the Cross on our foreheads. It is the first symbol of our identity as sons and daughters of God, claimed by Christ and incorporated into His death and Resurrection.

And throughout our lives, we continue to make that sign. Every time we walk into a church, we dip our hands into the holy water and sign ourselves with the Cross. Why? To renew our baptism, to remind ourselves who we are and to whom we belong. What looks like a small habit is actually a profound liturgical prayer—an act of re-committing ourselves to walk in the steps of Christ crucified and risen.

Isn’t it beautiful, then, that we begin every Mass with the Cross as well? As the procession comes into the church, it is the Cross that leads the way. Not just to mark the start, but to remind us where we are gathered and who we are gathered around. The Mass is centered on the mystery of the Cross—of Christ offering Himself to the Father out of love for us.

And just as the Cross leads us in, it should also lead us out. At the end of Mass, the same Cross that led us into this sacred space now goes before us as we go back into the world. It is symbolic of the call each of us receives: to follow the Cross into our daily lives, to live sacrificially, to witness God’s mercy, and to proclaim the victory of Christ not just with our words but with our actions.

Sometimes we’re tempted to rush out of the church before the final hymn is over, perhaps even before the procession leaves. But this moment of departure is important. Let us not rush ahead of the Cross. Just as we entered under its guidance, we should be sent forth under its shadow and protection. We are being sent as missionaries of the Cross—witnesses of the love that saved us.

So today, as we gaze upon the image of the Cross, let us ask ourselves: What is my cross? What difficulty do I carry? Be it illness, fear, loneliness, family trouble or spiritual doubt—whatever it may be—we must not only bear it but offer it. We are not called simply to endure our crosses as burdens. We are invited to embrace them in union with Christ. And in doing so, we allow God to transform them from instruments of pain into means of grace.

Never forget: the Cross that began as a weapon of death has been transformed into the banner of mercy and triumph. The same can be true for our lives as well. If God could transform the wood of the Cross into the tree of life, then He can transform any suffering you experience into a source of grace.

So cling to the Cross. Trace it on yourself not just with your hand, but in your heart. Let it lead you into every Mass, let it lead you out with purpose, and let it shape every moment in between. Let us glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom is our salvation, life, and resurrection.