Finding Hope in Darkness: The Power of the Cross in Troubled Times
In light of recent tragic events—the murder of Irena Zarutska in Charlotte, the political assassination of Charlie Kirk in Utah, another devastating school shooting, and the 24th anniversary of September 11—many hearts are heavy with grief and questions. Where can we find comfort amid such violence and loss? Where is God when suffering seems overwhelming?
The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross offers a timely message for our broken world. The collect for this feast day reminds us that Christ was "lifted high upon the cross that he might draw the whole world unto himself." In these words, we find both comfort and challenge—the assurance that Christ draws all people to himself through the cross, and the call to follow him in self-giving love.
The Serpents in Our Wilderness
In Numbers 21:4-9, we find the Israelites in a wilderness of discouragement and fear, not unlike what many of us experience today. The constant news cycle brings one poisonous bite after another—violence, division, and hatred are the serpents striking at our collective soul, injecting the venom of despair and cynicism.
When we hear about senseless murders, political violence, and mass shootings, we feel these poisonous bites of fear and grief. We sense we're living in increasingly dangerous times where disagreement can lead to deadly violence.
But notice God's response in this passage. He doesn't remove the serpents; instead, He provides a means of healing from their bite. Moses lifts up the bronze serpent, and those who look upon it are saved. When raised up, the image of what caused their suffering becomes the source of their salvation.
Christ: Our Bronze Serpent
Jesus draws the connection to Himself explicitly in John 3:14-15: "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."
When we're bitten by the serpents of tragedy, violence, and hatred, where do we look for healing? We look to Christ, lifted high upon the cross—the very place where suffering and evil did their worst yet could not overcome divine love. The cross doesn't deny the reality of pain; it transforms it.
The Contrast Between Christ's Way and the World's Way
Philippians 2:5-11 highlights the stark contrast between Christ's way and the world's way. Our world often operates by the logic of power, domination, and violence—a logic that says, "Through violence, I will achieve my ends."
But Christ shows us another way—the way of self-giving love. "He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." The Son of God didn't cling to His divinity but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant. He didn't meet violence with greater violence but with sacrificial love.
This is the mystery at the heart of our faith: the apparent defeat of Christ crucified becomes His greatest victory. "Wherefore God hath highly exalted him." The cross, an instrument of shame and torture, becomes the throne from which Christ reigns. Death, the enemy's ultimate weapon, becomes the doorway to eternal life.
The Cross: A Spiritual Gravity
In John 12:31-36, Jesus declares, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." The cross exerts a spiritual gravity—an invisible magnetic force that draws humanity toward divine love. Even as we witness acts that seem to pull our world toward hatred and chaos, the cross draws us toward healing and reconciliation.
We've seen this after tragedies like 9/11 and natural disasters—people drawn together in unprecedented ways. Strangers helping strangers, communities rallying around first responders, churches opening their doors for prayer and comfort. The darkness was real, but it did not overcome the light.
Similarly, after recent tragedies, we see people being drawn together in prayer for victims and their families. We hear calls for healing across political and social divides. Already, the light shines in the darkness.
Becoming Children of Light
Jesus concludes with an urgent invitation: "While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light." In times of darkness, we have a choice. We can surrender to fear, hatred, and despair, walking in darkness, not knowing where we're going. Or we can believe in the light revealed on the cross—the light of divine love that no darkness can overcome—and become children of that light.
What Does It Mean to "Lift High the Cross"?
After a week marked by tragedy, what does it mean for us to "lift high the cross"?
Acknowledge Our Need for Healing
Like the Israelites bitten by serpents, we recognize that we've been wounded by the evil in our world. The violence we've witnessed, the lingering trauma of events like 9/11, the personal losses many of us carry—these are real wounds that need real healing.
We begin by bringing these wounds to the foot of the cross, looking up to the One who was lifted up for our salvation. The cross doesn't ask us to pretend we're not wounded; it invites us to bring our wounds to the Wounded Healer.
Embrace the Way of Christ in a Violent World
St. Paul urges us to have the same mind as Christ Jesus—the mind of humility, service, and self-giving love. In a culture increasingly marked by dehumanization through violent means, we are called to a different way—the way of the cross.
Become Agents of God's Drawing Love
We are called to lift high the cross in such a way that others are drawn to the healing, reconciling love of Christ. This happens in practical ways—checking on neighbors, bringing meals to the grieving, helping with yard work, or simply sitting with someone in their pain.
We don't offer platitudes or try to explain away suffering. Instead, we embody the presence of Christ—the One who doesn't abandon us in our suffering but enters into it with us.
Life Application
In the wake of tragic events, how can we lift high the cross in our daily lives?
Bring your wounds to Christ. What specific fears, griefs, or anxieties are you carrying right now? Take time this week to bring them honestly before God at the foot of the cross.
Choose the way of Christ over the way of the world. Where are you tempted to respond to evil with more evil, or to hatred with more hatred? How might you instead respond with self-giving love?
Be an agent of God's drawing love. Who in your community needs to experience Christ's presence through you this week? How can you embody His healing, reconciling love to someone who is hurting?
May the God who transformed the cross from an instrument of death to the source of eternal life transform our present sorrows into future joy, our fear into faith, and our mourning into dancing. As we lift high the cross, may the love of Christ be proclaimed until all the world adores His sacred name.