Easter and the Cross
The cross, the olden times’ infamous instrument of judgment, torture, death and hate, is now the symbol of victory, life, peace and love.
The cross without the Author of Life once nailed there was just that -- a cruel arm of judgment by the powers that be -- until the One Who died there rose again and gave the wooden cross beams an entirely new and opposite meaning.
"In hoc signo vinces." By this sign, you shall conquer.
The cross now held up to the world is a serious reminder (Bishop Barron used the word 'taunt') to earthly powers, that they can crucify and persecute the believers of the Man Who died on the cross, but those believers, like the One they believe in, will rise again.
"Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat." Christ conquers, Christ reigns, Christ rules.
No earthly power, so puny in comparison, can kill the Author of Life again, even if they try.
Potentates can tear down the cross from church steeples, they can close the churches and desecrate and even demolish them, but the believers of the Cross, like those who turned to the catacombs, will continue to ardently profess the Man on the Cross Who gave earthly existence its true purpose and meaning.
God is not dead. His will is not of no concern by any human being or assembly, whether it is out of ignorance or arrogance.
The empire that condemned the Man (Who is also God) has long crumbled. A new empire that will repeat its mistake also will.
The new powers should look at the Cross and learn from their old counterparts and from what happened after nailing there the Lord of heaven and earth.
May there be new Damascus experiences, many Sauls turned into Pauls who will cease persecuting Christ once again and instead proclaim Him to the nations. May there be more Peters and Andrews and Thomases who had denied and betrayed Him but willingly gave up their lives for the God-Man on the Cross.
"In hoc signo vinces."
There would have been no Easter without the cross. For "by His Holy Cross, He has redeemed the world."
The tomb where they laid Him is empty. He is risen!
Happy Easter, Happy Resurrection Day!
"The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1Cor 1:18)
