Reflection for Monday September 14 Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross: John 3:13-17

Gospel: 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.

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Reflection:

What does the cross signify to us?

The cross is a sign of suffering for many, but for us Christians, it is essentially a sign of triumph. Without the cross upon which Jesus was nailed, there would have been no salvation for all of us. Where would we be without Jesus giving His life on the cross? His sacrifice reminds us that love is sometimes expressed through suffering, sacrifice, and self-giving.

Let us not be intimidated by the daily crosses that we carry, for we do not carry them alone. Jesus is with us to help us carry them. When our burdens become heavy, He gives us strength. When we feel weak, He gives us courage. When we are tempted to give up, He reminds us that our suffering can have meaning when we unite it with His Cross.

Let us learn to entrust our crosses to Jesus. Let us call upon Him in our moments of pain, uncertainty, and discouragement. We may not always understand why we have to suffer, and Jesus may not immediately take our crosses away, but He assures us that He will walk with us through them. With Jesus beside us, even the heaviest cross becomes bearable.

We should count ourselves blessed if we know Jesus deeply because we have someone whom we can always call upon whenever trials and crosses come our way. We have someone to whom we can turn when life becomes difficult. We have Jesus, who never abandons us and who continually invites us to place our trust in Him.

But what about those who do not know Jesus deeply or who do not know Him at all? They may be at a disadvantage, but all is not lost because we are there. We can introduce Jesus to them through our words, our kindness, our compassion, our forgiveness, and most especially through the way we live our lives. We can become instruments through whom they may encounter His love.

Perhaps some people around us are carrying heavy crosses silently. They may be struggling with problems that we know nothing about. They may be searching for hope, peace, and someone who will simply listen. What if God has placed us in their lives so that, through us, they may discover that Jesus has not forgotten them?

The cross teaches us that suffering is not the end of the story. Beyond the pain of Good Friday comes the joy of the Resurrection. Beyond our tears can come hope. Beyond our struggles can come grace. And beyond the crosses we carry is the promise that Christ walks with us every step of the way.

So, let us embrace our crosses with faith, entrust them to Jesus with confidence, and never forget those who are struggling to carry their own. May our lives become a living testimony that no cross is too heavy when it is carried with Christ, and no person is ever beyond the reach of His love.

When we encounter someone who is silently carrying a heavy cross, will we simply walk past them, or will we allow Jesus to use us as His hands, His heart, and His presence to help them carry it?— Marino J. Dasmarinas