Thursday 14th of September
The Exultation of the Cross
“God sent his Son so that through him the world might be saved.”
John 3:13-17
In today’s reading, John compares the lifting up of the serpent in the desert to Jesus being lifted up on the cross. In the book of Numbers, a plague of serpents was sent against the Israelites because of their constant complaining against God. When they begged Moses for help, God told Moses to put an image of a serpent on a pole, and all those who look at the bronze serpent will be healed.
In a much more radical way, Jesus is also lifted up. Howmuchmorewillwebehealedwhenweallow ourselves to meditate on the cross and encounter Jesus there. We commemorate the cross as the sign of our salvation. We can dialogue with Jesus before the cross. What kept him there? Did he really do this for me? Let us speak from the heart, as we give thanks for the sacrifice Jesus made, and the love the Father has for us.