In this Lenten season I would like to take a break
from my usual gossipy column and share with you this refection on the Cross
from the 4th Century Bishop, Saint Cyril of Jerusalem. Enjoy!
The Catholic Church glories in every deed of Christ.
Her supreme glory, however, is the cross. Well aware of this, Paul says: God forbid that I glory in anything but the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ!
At Siloam, there was a sense of wonder, and rightly
so. A man born blind recovered his sight. But of what importance is this, when
there are so many blind people in the world? Lazarus rose from the dead, but
even this only affected Lazarus. What of those countless numbers who have died
because of their sins? Those five miraculous loaves fed five thousand people.
Yet this is a small number compared to those all over the world who were
starved by ignorance. After eighteen years a woman was freed from the bondage
of Satan. But are we not all shackled by the chains of our own sins?
For us all, however, the cross is the crown of
victory! It has brought light to those blinded by ignorance. It has released
those enslaved by sin. Indeed, it has redeemed the whole of mankind!
Do not, then, be ashamed of the cross of Christ;
rather, glory in it. Although it is a stumbling block to the Jews and folly to
the Gentiles, the message of the cross is our salvation. Of course it is folly
to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of
god. For it was not a mere man who died for us, but the Son of God, God made
man.
In the Mosaic law a sacrificial lamb banished the
destroyer. But now it is the Lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world. Will he not free us from our sins even
more? The blood if an animal, a sheep, brought salvation. Will not the blood of
the only-begotten Son bring us greater salvation?
He was not killed by violence, he was not forced to
give up his life. His was a willing sacrifice. Listen to his own words: I have the power to lay down my life and to
take it up again. Yes, he willingly submitted to his own passion. He took
joy in his achievement; in his crown of victory he was glad and in the
salvation of man he rejoiced. He did not blush at the cross for by it he was to
save the world. No, it was not a lowly man who suffered but God incarnate. He
entered the contest for the reward he would win by his patience endurance.
Certainly in times of tranquility the cross should
give you joy. But maintain the same faith in times of persecution. Otherwise
you will be a friend of Jesus in times of peace and his enemy during war. Now
you receive the forgiveness of your sins and the generous gift of grace from
your king. When war comes, fight courageously for him.
Jesus never sinned; yet he was crucified for you. Will
you refuse to be crucified for him, who for your sake was nailed to the cross?
You are not the one who gives the favor; you have received one first. For our
sake he was crucified on Golgotha. Now you are returning his favor; you are
fulfilling your debt to him.
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