Two Simple Pieces of Wood

~~~ Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross ~~~

~~ Numbers 21:4B-9 ~~ Psalm 78 ~~ 

~~~ Philippians 2:6-11 ~~~ John 3:13-17 ~~~ 

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,

because by your Cross you have redeemed the world.

Although we pray this verse during Lent 

we have it today as the Gospel acclamation.

Jesus carried the cross...not his cross,

but our cross.

Every fiber of his cross represents 

just a small percentage

 of the souls being saved that day.

One man became humiliated, scourged, spat upon,

crowned, mocked, and nailed to the wood of the cross for you.

His blood dripped, stained, and saturated two pieces of wood...

we honor today as 'the cross'.

It was not a crown of glory he wore upon his head 

as he hung upon the cross.

Yet he was surrounded by the 

heavenly glory of God the Father.

Today we remember two simple pieces of wood

not for the sake of the wood,

but for whose body and blood pressed against them.

The cross stood high for all to see

the death of one who came to teach love and compassion. 

God greatly exalted him

and bestowed on him the name

that is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bend,

of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that

Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus took on all of our human frailties...

joy, laughter, pain, and suffering;

but most of all he made being human

 the greatest creation of love.

He proved with his death on the cross for us

that there is no greater love than to lay down 

one's life for a friend.

Jesus gave his life on the cross for those he did not know.

His hands and feet were nailed to the cross

for those of the whole world for all of eternity...

until the end of times.

The name of Jesus is above all other names...

he taught us how to love...

he taught us how to forgive...

he taught us how to sacrifice all that we have...

Jesus Christ is the glory of God the Father.

Jesus Christ personified the being of God the Father

so that we could witness his great love...

the greatest love of all.

Blessed by the wood of the cross;

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,

because by your Cross you have redeemed the world.

Be Forever Grateful

~~~Peace~~~