THE CROSS: CHRISTIANITY’S GREAT PARADOX
September 14 marks our patronal feast, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross—Christianity's most profound paradox. How do we "exalt" that horrific event where all sin and evil from all of time was gathered and poured into Christ's all-loving person? As Christians, we exalt not the evil of the cross, but love's infinite power that conquered that totality of evil.
"Where there is no love, put love, and you will find love."
These words from St. John of the Cross powerfully express what Jesus did for us. Where we were caught in betrayal and shame, He brought gentle, faithful love. Where we were shattered by pride and rebellion, He brought humble obedience. Where we were overwhelmed in fear and despair, He brought hope and trust in the Father. Ultimately, where we faced death in our sin, He brought us eternal life in Him.
The Cross is the stark expression of putting love where none existed. Because of this profound act, we can now live in that healing Love that Christ planted. Indeed, that is our call.
Through baptism, we're joined to Christ and charged to continue His victory of Love. Not by overpowering evil with our own strength, but by taking part in Christ's humble victory, facing evil when it comes to us and returning God’s love. But where does this begin? Jesus could conquer evil's totality because He first lived eternally in love's totality with the Father and Holy Spirit. To give, He first received.
And so must we.
To face the evil and pain around me, I must first receive God’s loving presence into the broken terrain of my life. For me to plant love, it must first be planted within me. Here are two challenging questions to wrestle with:
1) How can I make more space to simply be with God, that His love may be more deeply planted within me? Note: "If you are too busy to pray, you are too busy." – St Teresa of Calcutta
2) Where do I feel nudged, with God’s help, to plant love this week where it is lacking? Note: Sometimes, love flows back to us in unexpected ways and times.
This is our glorious call: receive His love planted in you, and plant it wherever you find it lacking. Little by little, this wins our hearts back to God, it draws others more and more into the light, and it furthers His unconquerable kingdom of Love in the world, until at last we share fully in the Cross's triumph: union with God forever in heavenly glory.
It is mysterious, but it is true: "Where there is no love, put love, and you will find love."
~Fr. John Rumpza