Isn’t it fascinating how we turn to God with all our heart, strength and might when things go bad for us? Often we get on with our lives during good times. When facing challenges, we dedicate more time to pray, offer sacri- fices and do penance hoping for a change of circumstances for the better. This was the same that happened with the Israelites when they were dying of snake bites as a punishment for their own rebellion against God: Howev- er sinful they had been, they chose to repent and turn to God.

They chose to fix their gaze on a symbol of the thing that brought them pain and death because God directed them and in doing so experienced healing. In the same way, on this feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, we are being gifted with a symbol to fix our gaze on. A symbol of shame and suffering from a secular point of view, transformed into a life-giving reality in the hand of God, offering us the gift of forgiveness, healing, love and mercy. Let us embrace the Holy Cross, the sign of our salvation.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank you for the sacrifice of Jesus who made salvation a reality for us. Amen.