The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Numbers 21:4b-9; Philippians 2:6-11; John 3:13-17

If you are like me, you have probably felt outrage, despair and deep anger reading about the situation in northern Iraq. Islamic militants continue to seize Christian towns, ruined historic museums and monasteries, beheaded children, raped women and forced people to convert to Islam.

It’s easy to feel helpless and impatient with ourselves, leaders and God these days.

However on this Exaltation of the Cross Feast Day, the scripture readings challenge all Christians to look to the Cross of Jesus, the instrument of our salvation and hope.

According to the Book of Numbers chapter 21, “with their patience worn out by the journey, the people complained against God and Moses, ‘Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!” God was not pleased with the Israelites’ complaints and reacted by sending snakes as a form of punishment.

The Israelites repented.

But what happened next may not be a welcoming sight. Moses was then instructed to make a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, ‘and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he lived’.

For me the bronze serpent represents the humanity of the Israelites seeking healing, forgiveness and compassion. God desired the ‘sting of sin’ of the people to be lifted so that, realizing its power to destroy life, they may acknowledge a higher power to transform it. The very thing that caused them bitter sorrow became their source of redemption. And the very act of lifting up was a foreshadowing of the salvation through Jesus when He was lifted up on the Cross.

In other words our world’s sins and suffering cannot be left behind us. It has to be attended to, taken up and ‘nailed’ to the cross. This is difficult to understand to make ‘sin’ a flag of victory. Yet the Gospel of John enlightens us. Jesus says to the Jews: ‘When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak thus as the Father taught me’.

Jesus on the Cross has now become the symbol & reminder of humanity’s wretched past as well as a future full of hope. A God-man was lifted up. He took the sinfulness of humanity upon himself and lifted it up to the Father. Lifting up the symbol of our sins and transforming it into an instrument of salvation therefore represents the redemption which comes from Christ lifted up on the Cross.

The liturgy of the Cross is a triumphant liturgy. Jesus Christ has already conquered Satan, the master of fear and cowardice. In the midst of world’s violence and growing fear Jesus’ reminds us, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" John 16:33.