Holy Cross Day

I saw the 

Tree of Life 

in the midst 

of the holy city, new Jerusalem; 

and the leaves 

were for the 

healing of the 

nations. 

Holy Cross Antiphon on Psalm 46

I used to love Holy Cross Day and then I read how it came about and it wrecked it for me. But suddenly it doesn’t matter anymore. We’ve just been reading in Paul about the foolishness of the cross being wiser than human wisdom and God’s weakness being stronger than human strength. And really, I think that is the point. God has turned everything on its head - so much for all our efforts to tidy up and make things make sense! Whatever messes we or others get into, however wrong we think things are going, the cross of Christ, the sign of life in death and death in life, the great paradox of victory in defeat, stands planted in the middle of the city. And the leaves are for the healing of the nations. And for our healing and rest as well.