The Feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross

September 14, 2015 8:30am

Just a week ago yesterday, we placed this San Damiano crucifix here in the chapel.

As I said last Monday morning, the original of this crucifix is the one that Saint Francis of Assisi was looking at when he experienced his calling from God.

For that reason, this crucifix is central to the tradition and spirituality of all Franciscans – the priests, the sisters, and the lay Franciscans.

So, I think appropriately, today, as the Church celebrates the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross, I want to share a reflection by a Franciscan Sister.

Her name is Sister Ilia Delio.

She has a wonderful insight on the cross or crucifix.

Sister Ilia Delio says that when we gaze on the cross, we see God, who is self-giving love.

We see this self-giving love of God in the mystery of the crucified Christ.

It is good just to allow ourselves to be consumed with this love.

But, there is another step.

We also discover ourselves and who or what we are meant to be in the cross.

The image of the crucified Christ, self-giving love, is also the image in which we were created.

This is the basis of our identity.

So, if we gaze and contemplate and pray long enough, day after day, year after year, we will come to this new understanding of ourselves.

And this understanding in turn will be creative.

The image of the crucified Christ will transform us more and more into a reflection of the image itself.

To make it short and simple, the more we gaze upon the cross, the more we will come to resemble Christ himself in his self-giving love.

This, of course, is why the cross or crucifix is so central in our Catholic imagery and has such a central place in our churches.