For God sent his Son into the world so that the world might be saved through his cross. Today the Church honors the cross of Christ, a feast commonly known as the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Today’s celebration is part of the public veneration of the Holy Cross which dates back to the fourth century. The cross has become a worldwide symbol, and while it's use and meaning may differ from place to place, for those who profess the Christian faith, it's meaning and use is always associated with the triumph of the cross of Christ. For Christians, the cross is both a symbol and instrument of salvation. The general belief within the Christian fraternity is that it was on the cross that Christ defeated the powers of darkness and by so doing won salvation on behalf of the universe. It was on the cross that Christ declared that it is finished (cf. John 19:30) . But how did this come about? How did/does the cross become a sign of redemption? And from whom/what does the cross redeem us? The answer to these questions is given us in our second reading today.
The cross of Christ is for us an instrument of overcoming the powers that hold the world hostage: pride, sense of entitlement, and revenge. Writing to the Philippian community, St. Paul pleads for an imitation by the members of the community of the entire Christ-event. Symbolized by Jesus taking the cross upon his shoulders, the Christ-event is characterized by obedience and humility. Although the humility of Christ is visible right from his birth (born in poverty), it is the cross that becomes the place of Christ's ultimate act of humility. For it was upon the cross that Christ gave it all up: power, sonship, dignity, and entitlement. Jesus did not resort to violence or retaliation although he had the means to do that. He did not even raise his voice to claim his clothes that were being stripped off his already bloodied body. This was the extent of Jesus’ willingness to give everything up for the good of his brothers and sisters. As such, the cross became the beginning of the culmination of the redemption of the universe. By giving it all up, Jesus showed us the way to follow. Letting go of any sense of entitlement is the route towards the harmony that was present in the garden of Eden prior to the fall. Emptying the self of anything that might come between us and our obedience to the will of the Father is our only means of making it back to the Father. For isn't redemption all about finding the way back to the father?