Today, in union with the whole Church, we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. The cross is central to our faith as followers of Jesus. It is through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus that we are saved and forgiven. It is through his suffering death on the cross and his rising to new life that we are given the gift and promise of everlasting life. There is no Easter Sunday without Good Friday – there is no Resurrection without Jesus dying on the cross. Fr. Ron Rolheiser writes that what the cross of Christ reveals is that when we are so paralyzed by fear and overcome by darkness that we can no longer help ourselves, when we have reached the stage where we can no longer open the door to let light and life in, God can still come through our locked doors, stand inside our fear and paralysis, and breathe out peace. The love that is revealed in Jesus’ suffering and death, a love that is so other-centered that it can fully forgive and embrace its executioners, can precisely pass through locked doors, melt frozen hearts, penetrate the walls of fear, and descend into our private hells and, there, breathe out peace. Brother Michael Moore writes that this wonderful feast is not meant to glorify or celebrate suffering or pain. When we think of the cross, our first thoughts may be uncomfortable or even negative. Over the centuries many great artists have tried to capture the reality of the crucifixion. Some of these paintings, amazing though they are, graphically show the pain that Jesus endured when he was crucified. They are not easy to look at. However, at the heart cross, we can see the fullness of life and love so profound that no darkness can overcome or defeat it. Through the cross of Jesus, God says to each of us, “I love you with an everlasting love, I call you by your name you are mine, do not be afraid”.