Today we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. At first, it may sound strange, why exalt a cross, something once used for pain and humiliation? But as Christians, we see the Cross differently. For us, it is the greatest sign of love: God giving His very life for us.

Jesus reminds us in today’s Gospel that just as Moses lifted the bronze serpent in the desert to bring healing, so too the Son of Man was lifted up on the Cross to bring us eternal life. What once symbolized death has become for us the very path to life.

But this feast is not only about something long ago; it is about our lives now. We all carry crosses: a parent working two jobs to provide for the family, a young person standing firm in faith while facing peer pressure, or a caregiver patiently tending to an elderly loved one; an illness, a hidden worry, and a heartache we carry. By themselves, these burdens weigh us down. These are modern-day crosses, but when carried with love, they become holy and transformed into places where God’s love and grace can shine.

I think of a husband who once told me, “Father, I never realized how many dishes I did have to wash after marriage. At first, it felt like a chore. But then I noticed the joy on my wife’s face when I helped, and I realized love made even the dishes lighter.” That is the secret of the Cross: love transforms burden into blessing.

I think of a mother I know who quietly cared for her sick child night after night. She was so exhausted, but she never complained. When I asked her how she kept going, she simply smiled and said, “I just look at the Cross and remember: love always finds the strength to endure.” That is what the Cross teaches us; it is not a symbol of crushing defeat, but of love that conquers.

The Cross does not take away suffering, but it gives meaning to it. It reminds us that God is present in our struggles, that love can shine brightest in sacrifice, and that every Good Friday carries within it the seed of Easter Sunday.

So today, as we lift high the Cross, not just on the altar, but in our hearts. May it remind us that in every struggle, God is with us; in every trial, His love sustains us, and in every cross, the seed of resurrection is already planted. let us carry our own with courage. And remember that in every act of love, big or small, we exalt the Cross and share in Christ’s victory.

Your Priest,

Fr. Charles Enyinnia