Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Triumph of the Cross. When we think of the Cross of Christ we can often think of suffering but there is also a strong tradition of the cross as a symbol of victory, a sign of God’s love for humanity. Sometimes the crosses we ourselves experience in life are a heavy burden to carry but we shouldn’t forget that through the resurrection of Christ the Cross brings great hope. During each celebration of the Eucharist we remember the sacrifice of Jesus who was prepared to give everything out of love for all through his death on the Cross at Calvary. When we look at the Cross we can offer all our prayers to Jesus trusting that he has the power to bring light, hope and love into every aspect of our lives.
Today’s reading at Mass from Saint John’s Gospel includes one of most quoted passages of Sacred Scripture “yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life…God sent his son into the world not to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved” (John 3:16-17).
The mystery of the incarnation reveals how God is love. He sent his only son Jesus Christ into the world to bring his plan of salvation to completion. God loved us first and it is for this reason that he gave us Christ Jesus as our saviour and redeemer. The coming of Christ reveals the Father’s infinite goodness and the depth of his love for humanity by taking on the flesh of human weakness, becoming like man. The Gospel assures us that we can look forward in faith to the salvation promised to us in eternal life. When we recognise the presence of Jesus in our lives and walk the journey of faith with him we can illuminate the world we live in with the light of his love and be ready to meet him at the end of time.
