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FEAST: THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS

September 14th, 2010

"God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved"
John 3 : 17

Gazing on a picture or replica of Christ crucified, many in our world today will wonder why believers recognise the cross as a triumph. In some countries, the wearing of a cross is forbidden in public. Yet what is there to be triumphant about in acknowledging the crucifixion and death of Jesus. We glory in the cross of our Lord because he is our salvation, our life and our resurrection. When we are dragged down by worry, anxiety, pain or sense of loss, look upon the crucifix and dwell on what Christ has suffered for our salvation. When we are failing, we only have to look at the crucifix and see that Jesus is not pointing the finger of indignation towards us. Instead, he opens his arms wide as though to embrace us. Should this not help us to accept that he is present in our lives and does not ask of us more than we can give with his help?

Prayer


Lord, be with me throughout this day that I may accept all that lies before me knowing that you have suffered far more for my sake. Amen.

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The prayer for each day has been prepared by various members of the Holy Family Association. All who visit our website are remembered in prayer. If you would like us to pray for a particular need, simply complete and submit the form on the right hand side of this page. You may wish to leave a comment in the space below.

Just a Thought

How the Holy Family prayer: A Reflection by Pope Benedict XVI

“I would like to invite you to reflect on the place of prayer in the life of the Holy Family of Nazareth. The home of Nazareth, in fact, is a school of prayer where we learn to listen, to ponder and to penetrate the profound meaning of the manifestation of the Son of God, drawing our example from Mary, Joseph and Jesus.

Pope Paul VI during his visit to Nazareth said “we come to understand the need for a spiritual discipline, if we wish to follow the teaching of the Gospel and become disciples of Christ.” And he added: “First, it teaches us silence. Oh! That there would be reborn in us the esteem for silence, that wonderful and indispensable atmosphere of the spirit: while we are deafened by so many noises, sounds and clamorous voices in the frantic and tumultuous times of modern life. Oh! Silence of Nazareth, teach us to be resolute in good thoughts, intent upon the interior life, ready to listen well to the secret inspirations of God and the exhortations of the true masters.”

We can glean several insights on the Holy Family’s prayer and relationship with God from the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ childhood. We may begin with the Presentation of Jesus in the temple. St. Luke tells us that Mary and Joseph, “when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, brought the child up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord”(2:22). Like every observant Jewish family, Jesus’ parents go up to the temple to consecrate the firstborn son to God and to offer sacrifice. Moved by fidelity to the law’s prescriptions, they set off from Bethlehem and go up to Jerusalem with Jesus, who is now forty days old. Instead of a one-year-old lamb, they present the offering of simple families; that is two young pigeons. The Holy Family’s pilgrimage is one of faith, of the offering of gifts, a symbol of prayer, and of encounter with the Lord, whom Mary and Joseph already see in the son Jesus.”

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