“the Son of Man be lifted up”

 
We cannot look at the Cross and remain neutral and without emotion. The Cross demands a response, one way or the other.
 
ACTIVITY – The Cross in Scripture
What do we think about the Cross? What is its meaning in our life? Does the Cross really have a meaning for us or is it just a symbol? Take time to read, reflect and meditate on the verses found on the activity sheet. The activity sheet may be found on the packet page. It will be good to ask the questions stated above before the reflection and mediation and then again after to see if there is a change in both thought and attitude in regards to the Cross.
 
What do we see when we look at the Cross? “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life” (John 3:14-15), says Jesus. What do we see then when we bring our eyes to bear on the Cross, where Jesus was nailed (cf. John 19:37)? We contemplate the sign of God’s infinite love for humanity.”[i] Saint Bernard saw the following, when he saw the Cross where Jesus was nailed. He said that when we see the hands of Jesus nailed to the Cross with His arms open, we know that His arms are always open for us, welcoming us into His embrace. When we see the feet of Jesus nailed to the Cross, we are assured that He will never run from us. When we see the side of Jesus opened on the Cross, we understand that in His mercy He opened for us the path to His Sacred Heart, a path from which both water (Baptism) and blood (the Eucharist) flow.
 
In the Franciscan tradition, there is a famous piece of art that shows Saint Francis embracing Jesus while Jesus is on the Cross. In the picture, Jesus reaches down to embrace Saint Francis as well. Franciscans, as well as other religious orders, take vows to live the evangelical councils. These councils are the same virtues that Our Lord lived and can be seen by all, when the Cross is lifted high. The evangelical councils are poverty, chastity and obedience, they are not just for the religious, who take vows to live by them, but they are for all who follow Christ, who call themselves Christian
 
How are the evangelic councils seen by the Cross? The hands of Christ are nailed and open, showing that He is not holding onto any possessions.  He is poor, owning nothing. The heart of Christ is opened and opened to all, showing that His love is for God and neighbor, and the love is pure. He is chaste and gives the gift of self. The feet of Christ are nailed to the Cross showing us that Jesus was obedient even unto death. In obedience, He walked the path that the Father willed, even when that path took His steps up the hill of Calvary and nailed His feet to the Cross.
 
CHANT - Christus Factus Est
The Gradual for this feast uses the writing of Saint Paul in his epistle. “For us Christ became obedient to death, even to death on a cross. V. Therefore God also has exalted Him and has bestowed upon Him the name that is above every name.”[ii] This same scripture is also prayed on Good Friday.
 
“O Crux, ave spes unica! Saint Paul speaks of the same theme in the letter to the Ephesians…. Not only did Christ Jesus become man, in everything similar to human beings, but He took on the condition of a servant and humbled Himself even more by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a Cross (cf. Philippians 2:6-8).”[iii] The mystery of the Cross is such that when one looks at the Cross they don’t see a servant but rather a Son of God. The Roman Centurion witnesses the Cross and said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”[iv] The prodigal son came to realization that he would have to return home as a servant. He has squandered his inheritance and felt as if he lost his status as a son. His only hope was to beg his father’s forgiveness and return home as a servant.

How are we like the prodigal son? How is Jesus like the prodigal son? Humanity squandered its inheritance in The Garden, loosing heaven and the friendship of God. Jesus took on the condition of the prodigal son as He was placed on the Cross. In the parable, the son returns home as a servant, but the Father will not allow his son to be a servant.  Instead, He puts the finest robe on Him, puts a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet and kills the fattened calf.[v] Jesus walks the Way of the Cross returning to the Father as a suffering servant, but the Father will not allow His Son, nor those connected to His Son, to be a servant. We are reminded of the glory of being a Son of God and the way of the Cross as a path to that glory each time we pray the Angelus. “that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection”.
 
What does the robe, ring, sandals and fatten calf represent? The Father puts on each Christian the finest robe (baptismal garment), a ring on the finger (the Bride of Christ), sandals on our feet (we are missionaries, sent out) and kills the fatten calf (The Mass and Eucharist). We are sons and daughters of God and have, through the merits of Jesus, been given back the inheritance of eternal life and friendship with God.
 
Why did Jesus reference Moses and the Serpent? The story of the serpent takes place during the Exodus of the Israelites, who had begun complaining to God and questioning why He took them out of Egypt. In punishment God sent serpents into their camp and these serpents began biting the Israelites. The Israelites went to Moses to ask for God’s help. God told Moses to take his staff, kill a snake, and tie the snake around his staff high enough for all to see. Anyone who gazed upon the staff would be instantly cured. Moses did as he was told and people who were bitten recovered.[vi] This story foreshadowed what Christ says in the Gospel reading. He would be the one on the Staff raised high enough for all to see and to be healed not physically, but spiritually and in a permanent way.
 
Where do we see this sign today? The Star of Life or EMS symbol is the most common. This symbol has a rod with a serpent, and is usually seen on ambulances. This sign has origins in Greek mythology, with the rod of Asclepius and is a sign of healing. It reminds us of the healing that God gave through the staff of Moses.

[i] Blessed John Paul II; Homily September 14, 2003
[ii] Philippians 2:8-9
[iii] Blessed John Paul II; Homily September 14, 2003
[iv] Mark 15:39
[v] Luke 15:22-23
[vi] Cf. Numbers 21:4-9