In the first reading, from the book of Numbers, we hear how the people of Ancient Israel had become afflicted with this terrible and deadly venom, bitten by snakes on their journey through the desert. God delivered them, he saved them, by giving them a powerful remedy. Moses was instructed to mount and lift up this serpent mounted on a pole, and all who looked upon it were saved.
In the Gospel, the Lord explains how his very public death on the cross was to be a source of healing, not just for a small group of people at one point in history, but a source of healing for all the world throughout all of history.
Paul says, “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Christians are tasked with lifting high this cross, to help the perishing believe in its power, to wake them out of their slumber to help them know the healing, the salvation that comes through the cross.
Paul wrote those words to the fractured community of Corinth. Many of the Corinthian Christians had turned away from the cross, they had fallen back into the immorality and perversions of the world—their souls were at risk. So Paul encouraged the Corinthians to look to the cross as a sign of healing for the divided community, a way out of their divisive sinfulness. The cross would unite them, the cross would heal them of the snake venom of sinfulness.
The cross is the call to conversion because it is a sign of God’s great love for us, that he desires so much more for us than the sinfulness we have so often freely chosen. He desires our wholeness, our holiness, our salvation, so much that he is willingness to go to the cross for us.
There are so many divisions in the 21st century Church it’s almost like we’re one gigantic Corinth. Yes, many gifts, many graces, but also many divisions, many sins. The early Church had a saying, Crux spes unica—the cross is our only hope.
Many times throughout the day, we do well to spend a few moments looking to the cross, pleading to the crucified one, to bring us healing, bring us wholeness, bring us unity, that we may lift high the cross in our own lives for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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That the Church may lift high the Cross of Christ, proclaiming forgiveness and redemption in him alone, we pray to the Lord...
That world leaders may look upon the Son of God, believe in him, and take hold of the peace and justice that only he can bring, we pray to the Lord...
That all whose lives are marked by suffering may discover the saving power of the cross of Christ, and be victorious in all their trials, we pray to the Lord...
That those who embrace the cross as they work for justice for the poor, the oppressed, and the unborn, may find strength and success in their work, we pray to the Lord…
That the sick may be blessed with patience during the difficult parts of their journey in life, we pray to the Lord...
That all who have died may experience the eternal life won by the cross of Christ, especially the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for my dear friend Father Robert Wendelken on the anniversary of his death, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered, we pray to the Lord...
Almighty ever-living God, comfort of mourners, strength of all who toil, may the prayers of those who cry out in any tribulation come before you, that all may rejoice, because in their hour of need your mercy was at hand. Through Christ our Lord. (From Good Friday Petitions)
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