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Theo Tigno•
9/13/2011 3:16 pm
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Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross |
John 3: 13-17
Jesus said to Nicodemus: "No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
Dawg's Thought:
Today's prayer intention - for end to "one child" policies and other excuses for forced aboritions.
A while back, I worked on a website for a Christian-based company. When I created the website, I originally had a crucifix on the home page, with our crucified Lord hanging on the cross.
When the client saw this, he respectfully asked that the image be replaced with a plain cross, saying, "because Christ is risen!"
The feast of today is the Triumph of the Cross. As I think back to that moment, I can see the point he was making. Yet, I cannot help but think that seeing the image of our crucified Lord isn't about negating Jesus' resurrection. Rather, it is a tangible reminder that Our Lord gave Himself freely and totally, and He continues to do so.
Have you ever held on to a picture of a loved one as they were doing something? I have a picture of my grandmother holding me as a baby sitting by my bed. When I look at the picture, I am reminded of the character of my grandmother: gentle, humble and always forgiving. The picture I have reminds of me of not only her, but brings me to remember her character.
In the same way, how can we not look at an image of Christ hanging on the cross and not think about how God loves us. We can come to know something about Christ by looking at the almighty God hanging humbly on a cross. He withheld Himself, and in doing so, He shows us what love is.
In showing us what love is, and in showing us how He loves, we can come to know how we are to love, for we are made in His image and likeness. Christ both withheld His full power AND poured Himself out completely (not holding anything back) as an act of love. How can we hide this? How can we put away how God loves and how we can love?
Knowing that today is the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross, how can we hide Christ's triumph over sin and death? How can we hide seeing the ugliness of our sins? Are we more comfortable taking the ugliness of our sins away and just showing a nice, clean version of our faith?
Jesus, i fear i do not spend enough time
meditating on Your crucified body,
and in doing so, failing to meditate
on You and how You love.
I resolve from this time
to come to know how You love
so that I may come to love You more and more.
Take care and God Bless.
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