Today’s readings invite us to contemplate one of the great paradoxes of the Christian faith. The Cross, once a symbol of suffering, humiliation, and death, has become for us the sign of redemption and hope. What appeared to be defeat was transformed by God’s love into the means of salvation for the world. The first reading recalls the journey of the Israelites through the desert. When poisonous serpents afflicted the people because of their rebellion, God instructed Moses to raise a bronze serpent upon a pole. Those who looked upon it with faith were healed and restored to life. This event foreshadowed a far greater healing that would come through Christ. In the Gospel, Jesus explains that he too must be lifted up, so that all who believe in him may have eternal life. The Cross reveals the depth of God’s love for humanity. It stands as a reminder that God does not abandon his people in their suffering but enters into it and transforms it.

PRAYER: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, because by your Cross you have redeemed the world. Amen.