The Holy Gospel according to Luke 2:33-35
Jesus’ father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
“Behold, this child is destined
for the fall and rise of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be contradicted
and you yourself a sword will pierce
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
Reflection: We are all destined for the fall and the rise of living our lives through faith. We live our lives on the edge of darkness always choosing to walk on the lite side. But is that always the right path? We know that we have had many experiences on the dark side that was favorable in our lives because we learned and changed for the greater good.
Just yesterday we celebrated the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. The very cross that Jesus died for our salvation. This feast highlights the central importance in our Christian life as a symbol of victory, hope and divine love for us. We see this symbol of the cross everywhere in our Christian faith, in our church, in our hospitals, in our books etc. But you also see that other faith denomination recognizes this symbol of the cross as something special too. In fact, you see people of all sorts wearing this cross around their neck; hanging in their car; tattooed on their body and the list goes on. They recognize that it is a symbol of salvation, redemption, recovery, hope and some sort of faith.
The folks at Mary’s Mercy Center recognize this all the time. Mostly because it’s all around them. They see the cross, the crucifix, statues of Mother Mary and they are affable to these symbols and embrace it. I think I told you the story about the men’s retreat at Mary’s Village and a few days after the retreat most of the men wanted a rosary. Why?! They’re not Catholic. They know that the cross is an Act of Devotion. It is a simple yet profound act of devotion that can be incorporated into daily life. Whether before meals, upon entering a church, or at the start of the day, it is an invitation to pause and center oneself in God’s presence. It also brings a Mystical Union to all of us regardless of if you’re Catholic or not. The gesture signifies unity with the entire community, both past and present, as it is a shared expression of faith across cultures and generations. It binds believers together in their common devotion to God.
We are made with the intention to fail but that’s what we are supposed to do in order to succeed. We know that we couldn’t have done any of our efforts unless we believed in our God and his plan for us. Jesus proved this to us by his own experiences on earth and suffering through the ultimate price by his crucifixion. And we rejoiced by his Resurrection and our salvation.
Action of the Day: Take time to identify what cross that you are carrying for you and for others. Then determine if you’re doing enough or should you do more.
Audio Reflection:
