Thoughts for the Day

‘Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—“Father, save me from this hour”? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’ The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to him.’ Jesus answered, ‘This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’ He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. The crowd answered him, ‘We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains for ever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?’ Jesus said to them, ‘The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.’

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

On the 14th September each year the Anglican Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Cross, and it reminds us to boast about nothing "except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ". The cross is a powerful image - in its many forms. A lot of us either cross ourselves or bow to the cross in worship and often it has a large presence in our church building The cross is a strong symbol and as human beings symbols are important to us. They remind us of things like friendship (a bracelet made of wool), of love (a wedding ring) and in this case of eternity (the cross).

Our scriptures make it clear that as sinful human beings our future is death, but Jesus chose to take our debt on his shoulders by dying on a cross for us. We are forgiven, as Colossians 2.13-14 says "And when you were dead in trespasses...God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross". In doing so we are offered eternal life.

The cross also reminds us that Jesus said any who want to be his followers are to "take up their cross and follow me" (Matthew 16.24-26). Then, we are free to forget our self and follow him, to take part in God's mission in our world. And when we slip and fall away from Him, He offers to forgive us again.

On a bad day I can wonder when even God's eternal patience with me might wear out! However, today let us wear a cross, or put a tiny cross in a pocket, or place one visible where we will spend time today, and thank God for his love and generosity to us.

Prayer for Holy Cross Day

Almighty God,
whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ
was lifted high upon the cross
that he might draw the whole world to himself:
Mercifully grant that we,
who glory in the mystery of our redemption,
may have grace to take up our cross and follow him;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, in glory everlasting.
Amen