Reflection for Wednesday, 24th week in Ordinary Time 

By

Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Director, Social Action Movement, Don Bosco Bidar

 Feast of the EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS 


 Today's WORD of GOD 


  John 3: 13 -17 

 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” 

 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

 

Today's Reflection 


The cross that Saves

Echoing Our LORD HIMSELF, the CHURCH Strongly Opposes All Forms of Torture & Above All the Death Penalty–& yet Here We are on Today’s Feast, Honouring the Cross on which an Innocent Prophet & Healer was put to Death, who had Spent HIS Life Helping Others.

How can We Glory Today in the Instrument of HIS Death, that Frightening cross where Thieves, Slaves & Criminals were Executed & Onto which HE was Nailed, Led like a Lamb to the Slaughter? 

It is because This Crucified JESUS has Become Our Life-Giver in the SPIRIT that HIS cross is the Life-Giving Throne of Mercy on which HE will Forever Be Honoured. 

The Instrument of HIS Death has Become the Instrument of GOD'S Mercy to Us; & so We Proclaim the Triumph of New Life, Poured Out from the cross .

During Their Exodus Journey through the Desert of Sinai there was a Plague of Fiery Serpents, from Whose Bite Many of the People Died. Then GOD Told Moses to Make a Bronze Statue of a Serpent & Mount It on a Pole, & When Those who has been Bitten Looked at It, They Recovered. 

JESUS Applies This Episode to HIMSELF: confer (John 3: 14 -15). 

The Triumph of Failure

In the Time of JESUS No One would Have Considered Crucifixion a Triumph or a Win of Any Sort. 

Yet, that is what We are Celebrating . JESUS, in Being Crucified, Triumphed. It was a Triumph of Love Over Hatred. 

John the Evangelist would Say that on the cross JESUS Revealed GOD'S Glory. That is why in John’s Gospel JESUS Speaks of HIS Coming Crucifixion as the Hour when HE is Glorified. 

Authentic Love is Always Life-Giving & that is Uniquely so of GOD'S Love. As well as Being the Triumph of Love Over Hatred, the cross of JESUS is the Triumph of Life Over Death. 

JESUS was Put to Death in the Most Cruel Way but through HIS Death HE Passed Over into a New Life & that Life was Offered to Us All. 

The Blood & Water Flowing from the Side of JESUS in John’s Gospel Speaks to Us of the Life that Flows Through the Death of JESUS. 

The cross has been Celebrated in Art as the Tree of Life. The Triumph of the Cross , which is the Triumph of GOD & of JESUS Over Satan & All the Forces of Evil & Death, is a Triumph in which We All Share. 

From the cross JESUS Draws All of Us into the Love & Life of GOD. As HE Says in John’s Gospel, when I am Lifted Up from the Earth, I will Draw All People to Myself. 

We Simply Have to Let Ourselves Be Drawn by HIM.


Good Morning 

God bless you with good health, peace and happiness 

Have a Pleasant Wednesday 

Happy Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross