On September 14, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. At first, it may seem like a strange thing to celebrate. Why would we celebrate an instrument of suffering and death?
Because for Christians, the Cross is no longer simply a symbol of suffering. The Cross is the place where God revealed the depth of His love for us.
Jesus did not save us by avoiding suffering. He saved us by entering into it and transforming it through His love. What appeared to be defeat became victory. What looked like death became the doorway to Resurrection.
The feast also reminds us of the importance of the Cross in the history of our faith. The Cross of Christ was recovered in Jerusalem in the fourth century and became a treasured sign of the Christian faith. But the feast is not really about a piece of wood. It is about the Person who was nailed to it.
Every time we make the Sign of the Cross, we proclaim something beautiful: we belong to Christ. We place our lives under the sign of His saving love.
And perhaps this feast gives us an important question to consider: What do we do with the crosses in our own lives?
We all carry them—illness, disappointment, loneliness, family struggles, grief, uncertainty, or simply the daily sacrifices that love requires. The Christian answer is not that suffering is good in itself. Rather, we are invited to unite our suffering with Christ and allow His love to transform it.
The Cross reminds us that God can bring new life even out of the things we would never have chosen for ourselves.
So when you see a crucifix this week, don't see only suffering. See love, mercy, forgiveness, sacrifice, hope—and the promise of Resurrection.
As Jesus tells us in the Gospel:
“When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” (John 12:32)
May the Cross of Christ always be at the centre of our homes, our families, our parish, and our lives.
