A Christ-less cross is incorrect but a cross-less Christ is a lie.

This fascinates me to no end. And I don't think it's just mere coincidence that my thoughts were centered around the Holy Cross and Jesus last night.

God does have a way of answering questions even before you ask them. In the same way that He answers prayers even before they are uttered. For that, I am forever grateful. Because in this adventure we call life, doubts may surface, our past may hound us, questions may never end, but one thing remains constant -- God's call for us to remain steadfast in our faith.

And so I share with you God's message, sent via email by http://www.kerygmafamily.com/

You have the opportunity to receive God's Word every single day. I shared today's Gospel in a previous post. This is the reflection. And here's the message as promised:

CRUX CUM CORPUS, CRUX CUM CHRISTUS

 

There is a devotion of some well-meaning Catholics that disturb me. It is the devotion to the holy cross without a corpus (body). The body is, of course, the body of Christ.

When I was assigned pastor of the Holy Cross Parish in Makati, I had to endure persecution when I started implementing a directive I received from the Archdiocese of Manila concerning the community’s center of devotion. The cross enshrined at the altar of the parish church was a Christ-less cross! I was instructed to correct that. I needed so much patience, courage and determination to accomplish the task. It was sad because many of those who objected

to correcting the Christ-less cross were the so-called lay church leaders. By the grace of God, the Holy Cross Parish now has a life-size image of the Crucified Christ. Their devotion to the Holy Cross remains, but no longer to a Christ-less cross.

I am assigned now to a chapel named after the holy cross, too. And I am happy to note upon my arrival that theirs is a cross with the Crucified Christ.

Why do some people focus more on the cross at the expense of Christ? Why do they devote themselves to the cross but not to the Crucified instead?

Why is there so much fanaticism surrounding the cross? Yet, when we talk about the cross in the form of problems, sickness, persecutions and the like, people run away at first sight.

Who wants such a cross anyway? We do not want a cross without Jesus. We want the cross of Jesus instead. And certainly, that means more than just affixing a body on the cross. It means carrying our cross the way Jesus carried His and, if needed, being crucified on our cross for the same reasons Jesus was crucified on His. Uniting our sufferings with that of Christ’s is one way of accomplishing this. Enduring persecutions on account of the Gospel of Jesus with great love and sincere humility fulfills this at its best.

The One who was crucified on the cross at Calvary always tells the truth: persecution knocking on the door of His followers is not only a normal thing, but must likewise be expected. When they knock, may we be found faithful to the One Crucified.  Fr. Bobby Titco

 

Reflection Question:

A Christ-less cross is incorrect but a cross-less Christ is a lie.

 

Lord Jesus, the glorious Crucified One, I adore You, for by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world. Amen.

 

St. Wiro, pray for us.