Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

 Lectionary: 638

"No one has gone up to heaven
except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."

High over the altar, every Catholic church offers a clearly visible crucifix  to the entire congregation. We keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, as the Author of Hebrews commanded us. We, 

...persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God.

Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart.

So long as we are in this world we endure opposition from sinners who would persuade us that our fixation on the suffering of Christ, our grief as we contemplate his agony, and desolation in his death are not really necessary. We should get over it when we hear that he was raised up on Easter. Didn't he know all along that he would rise from the dead? Weren't his collapse and anguished prayer in Gethsemane only showing us how much he could act like us?

The crucifix above the altar demands our full attention and silences their irrelevant, distracting questions. We may want to find in Church guidance and encouragement, but we go there to praise God for the sacrifice He has made for our salvation. We cannot forget that he has paid the ransom not with silver and gold but with His own flesh and blood. There on the Cross we see the flesh we must eat, and the wounds that drain his blood into the cup which we share. 

With our eyes fixed on him, we see One who has come from heaven for us; and, having ingested us into his body as we ingest him into ours, rises with us before his Father. 

Crucified with him we cannot be surprised by opposition from sinners; nor can we refrain from laughing HA-lleluia! at their confusion, defeat, and rout. With our eyes fixed on him we cannot be defeated. They may shear our hair off but they cannot harm us, for...

...not a hair on your head will be destroyed.

By your perseverance you will secure your lives.