From Torture to Triumph

The Cross was once seen as the most brutal form of torture and death. Crucifixion began centuries before Christ, but it was the Romans who perfected it. Their goal was to bring about the greatest suffering for the longest possible time and at the same time humiliate the person in full public view. It was a punishment reserved for slaves, rebels, and criminals. It was a symbol of shame and defeat. And yet it was this very instrument that God chose to reveal the depth of his love.

Exalting Love

On September 14th we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. What was once a sign of cruelty has become a sign of hope, healing and life. We lift up the Cross with honor and adoration. It is John’s Gospel (3:16) that reminds us: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” Through Jesus Christ, God stepped into our human story, sharing in both our suffering and our hope. On the Cross, heaven and earth are sown together like a seam, stitched by love. The Cross is no longer a sign of humiliation, but the greatest sign of hope. It reminds us that God’s love is stronger than death and he is closer to us through every challenge we face. In this way, exalting the Cross is not glorifying suffering but lifting up the love that endured suffering and death to bring us new life. The Cross is the final word of God’s love spoken into a broken world. It is a love that nothing can silence, not even death and it proclaims to every generation: Love conquers all.