The Love and Mercy of God are infinite

 

Welcome to my blog. Peace be with you.

Today we celebrate the feast of the exaltation of the Cross. The Cross which was a sign of man’s inhumanity and cruelty, through the death of Jesus has become a sign of the infinite love of God for humanity. We celebrate the infinite mercy and love on God revealed through the death on the Cross of his Son, Jesus the Christ. Christianity is based upon the historical fact of the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Monday 14 September 2020

The feast of the Exaltation of the Cross

 

The Love and Mercy of God are infinite

First reading

Numbers 21:4-9 ·

If anyone was bitten by a serpent, he looked up at the bronze serpent and lived

On the way through the wilderness the people lost patience. They spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in this wilderness? For there is neither bread nor water here; we are sick of this unsatisfying food.’

At this God sent fiery serpents among the people; their bite brought death to many in Israel. The people came and said to Moses, ‘We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Intercede for us with the Lord to save us from these serpents.’ Moses interceded for the people, and the Lord answered him, ‘Make a fiery serpent and put it on a standard. If anyone is bitten and looks at it, he shall live.’ So Moses fashioned a bronze serpent which he put on a standard, and if anyone was bitten by a serpent, he looked at the bronze serpent and lived.

Prayerful reflection

The people rebelled and sinned against God. This brought destruction in the form of the poisonous snakes. But they are also healed by looking at the snake which had caused the death of so many and would of all. This is sign of the Cross. Men crucified the Son of God. There could be no greater sin. But if we, who are guilty, look with repentance at the One we have crucified we will be saved and given eternal life in place of eternal death and punishment.

 

 Psalm

Psalm 77(78):1-2,34-38

Never forget the deeds of the Lord.

Give heed, my people, to my teaching;

turn your ear to the words of my mouth.

I will open my mouth in a parable

and reveal hidden lessons of the past.

Never forget the deeds of the Lord.

When he slew them then they would seek him,

return and seek him in earnest.

They would remember that God was their rock,

God the Most High their redeemer.

Never forget the deeds of the Lord.

But the words they spoke were mere flattery;

they lied to him with their lips.

For their hearts were not truly with him;

they were not faithful to his covenant.

Never forget the deeds of the Lord.

Yet he who is full of compassion

forgave them their sin and spared them.

So often he held back his anger

when he might have stirred up his rage.

Never forget the deeds of the Lord.

 

 

 

 

Gospel

John 3:13-17

God sent his Son so that through him the world might be saved

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

‘No one has gone up to heaven

except the one who came down from heaven,

the Son of Man who is in heaven;

and the Son of Man must be lifted up

as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,

so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.

Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost

but may have eternal life.

For God sent his Son into the world

not to condemn the world,

but so that through him the world might be saved.’

 

Prayerful reflection.

“The Son of Man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert”.

We may use  a crucifix to remind us that Jesus, Son of God, gave himself up on the Cross for our salvation. It is a sign of the Cross. It is not the Cross. It is useful for our meditation and prayer, but it is not necessary. We could use some other sign, or no sign at all.

Likewise we may say that the ‘bread’ and the ‘wine’ Jesus gave us at the Last Supper is a sign that Jesus is the Bread of Life. Taken in this way, it would remind us of Jesus as food for our life of grace. It would not be a unique and perfect gift. It would not show the infinite love of God for us. We could in fact use some other sign which we found more meaningful. It would be no more than a sign.

We can show our love for another by gifts. The more love, the more precious the gift. But they would only be signs of our love, if I wanted to show that I loved the person with everything I have and am, then I would have to give myself. I could not give more.

Likewise on the Cross Jesus shows the depths of God’s love by giving not some symbol gift but by giving himself. For, as he himself said, no one can love a person more than by giving his life for that person. He has no more to give. Jesus has done that in his human nature. He cannot give any more. It is his total love for us.

In the Holy Eucharist he says, ‘this is my Body given for you.’ If it is not his Body wholly and complete, it would be just a sign. It would be a sacred gift but not the total love of God for us as shown on the Cross. To be a sign and symbol of his infinite love for us, Jesus would have to change that bread totally into his own Body and Blood and give himself wholly to us. There would be nothing of the bread remaining, but Jesus would be there giving himself wholly and entirely to us in love, holding back nothing at all. This has been the Christian faith from the very beginning, from Pentecost onwards.

On the Cross he was lifted up – he was exalted because he revealed his  infinite love for us. In the Holy Eucharist he is lifted up – he is exalted because he reveals to us his infinite love by giving himself to us without reserve as real food.

He is exalted in the Holy Eucharist when the priest raises the Host and the Chalice high at the doxology. Then through, with and in Christ Jesus the whole of Creation – Mary his Mother, saints, and angels – offer the Father thanksgiving and adoration. Jesus did this alone on the Cross. Now we, the blessed in heave and believers on earth, share in that hymn of praise and worship.

To be  the unique and perfect sign of his love, Jesus must be wholly present in the Holy Eucharist and through the Mass we on earth can share in his perfect praise and worship offered in heaven. In the Mass heaven and earth are united in Christ as he, the one mediator, offers the perfect praise and worship on behalf of all creation.