The Cross of CHRIST

“The wellspring of reconciliation, John Paul writes, is the cross of Christ.  Its vertical beam symbolizes the human need for reconciliation with God, and its horizontal crossbeam represents the need for reconciliation with the human family.  Because the church is the Body of Christ, its “central task” is “reconciling people:  with God, with themselves, with neighbor, with the whole of creation.”  One of the ways the church lives out that ministry of reconciliation is to remind the world of the reality of sin.  For reconciliation is impossible without naming the evil that had caused division and rupture in the first place.”  Witness to Hope by George Weigel

JMJ

The Cross of Christ reflects the vertical and horizontal aspect of reconciliation for humanity; reconciliation with the God of Mercy and reconciliation with the human family.  In order for reconciliation to come to reality, an acknowledgement of the cause of division must be named; the action of the Holy Spirit brought forth is purifying fire of truth at its very heart.  We must acknowledge where we have failed in the eyes of God and in the eyes of humanity.  We must face ourselves as we are in our own misery and nothingness in order to reach the peace we desire in the grace of reconciling ourselves with God and our neighbor.  Only in this humility are we able to reach the ultimate goal of true union with God, with the Church, His Body.  There is much to realize in this encounter with ourselves; there is much to face in the reality of our very being.  We are nothing without God; the God who is love and mercy itself.  In the face of this reality, we come to a greater knowledge of who we are in the face of Christ.  In this face of Christ, we see our Savior and are aware of the unfathomable mercy He bestows on man in accepting the death of the Cross.  The ultimate icon of love is bestowed on man in the Cross; and until we unite ourselves to this Cross the reconciliation of man will not become real in the face of adversity.  We are in the Cross of Christ when we realize in ourselves the sin we have committed against the God of Love and the whole of humanity.  In this realization a deep awareness of our own misery becomes real and an abundant grace of truth and love becomes the source of true peace.  We must name the evil we have committed; we must voice it from our own lips in the purification of our own souls; until this happens the conversion of man is not possible.  The knowledge of this evil will only be revealed by the very being and inner conscience of man.  The conscience of man becomes alive when it is nourished by the doctrine of the faith and the magisteriam of the Church.  The truth of God will become alive in the soul who has set his soul towards this direction and then the reality of reconciliation between man and God becomes alive.  Until this knowledge is realized the age of relativism and mediocrity becomes the domineering factor in the souls of man and the true source of peace between man and God will not become a reality.  Until man realizes the depth of evil man is capable of and acknowledges it in his own misery; true humility of heart will not bring him to his knees in reconciliation with the Body of Christ.  We must name evil as evil and good as good.  Say yes when you mean yes, say no when you mean no; otherwise anything else comes from the evil one. 

 

O Cross of Christ, You reveal to man the wonder of Your saving work in the whole of humanity by establishing a peace and reconciliation that is brought forth from our own acknowledgement of our own misery and evil.  We must not doubt the Cross that is powerful in its reality by the existence of supreme love You bestow on man in Your crucifixion.  In looking at You on the Cross, we acknowledge the evil we have committed and at the same time are faced with the intimacy of mercy You give us in our knowledge of our own misery.  In humility, we kneel before the cross seeking refuge and reconciliation with the God of love and mercy so that in turn we may find peace in our relationships with our neighbor and the whole of creation.  May we look to You, O Cross of Christ, as the source of healing in our own brokenness and misery.  May we look to You, O Cross of Christ, as the source of refuge and strength in a world that is in great need of Your mercy.  May we look to You, O Cross of Christ, as the ultimate and supreme icon of love that must be reflected in our very being so that all who witness our lives may encounter You in a most profound and intimate way towards peace and reconciliation among all mankind.  O Mother of the Crucified Christ, give us the humility to acknowledge our own nothingness and pray for us who have recourse to thee.  Amen.