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.
John 3:16-17
Today the Church honors the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The cross today is an image of Christianity that is recognized throughout the world. Generations of artists have turned the cross into a thing of beauty to be admired, revered, worn as jewelry, even carried in a pocket or purse. In the eyes of the earliest Christians, let us not forget the cross for them was an instrument of death, an image to be feared. For them, the crosses were outside their cities, and the humans on those crosses were dying or dead. Criminals and those who defied Roman authority including at times, Christians who refused to sacrifice to the Roman gods, were on those crosses.
As we look upon the cross as a way to our salvation, let's thank God for the beautiful history we have, His Story, and remember to be grateful for the easy access we have to our history today.
