St James Catholic Church

Dear Parishioners:
On this 24th Sunday of the church year, the liturgy celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. By his crucifixion, Jesus transformed the cross from a profane instrument of execution to a symbol of triumph. Jesus sanctified the cross in a special way today, but we also exalt it every time we make the sign of the cross to express and bear witness to our faith. May the cross be a sign for us of Christ’s power to overcome death and give new life.
In our first reading from the Book of Numbers, when the sinners who had been bitten by venomous snakes looked upon the bronze serpent that Moses lifted up high, they lived. Compare this with what Jesus tells Nicodemus, that those sinners who look upon the Son of Man, who would be lifted up, will have eternal life. Through the cross, like a venomous snake, an instrument of death, our immortal souls are saved. As God gave new life to the sinful people in the desert, Christ offers new life to us in the desert of sin. Jesus’ self-sacrificing love for us brings us healing and life.
When we were baptized and the sign of the cross was made upon us, we were given a share in Jesus’ triumph. We affirm this each time we trace the cross on ourselves. We are not given an exemption from the cross. But our crosses are not just instruments of suffering and hardship. Our crosses have been sanctified for they are shared by Christ, who carried his cross to the end. Our crosses, too, can transform death into life. We might ask, how can I imitate Christ by helping someone else carry their cross, as he helps me carry mine?
Love, Peace, Joy,
Fr. Bob