Everyone goes to church to feel at peace and to set down the burdens one feels. The church community can become a great place if people greet, meet and speak with care and compassion. But that is easier said than done. Which could be the reason why people feel more comfortable to go to church when there is no service and crowd. It may be to escape the intrusive gaze of someone standing near. I have seen so many people sitting in church, at peace and looking happy. Some also stare at a picture, an icon and have a silent conversation with God. It also challenges priests to work on their ministry and dealings with those who come to church.
A church always needs to provide hope to the priest and the people. Anyone who walks in with drooped shoulders should go out head up and confident. St. John 3: 14-15 says, “ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” Today is mid lent, the 25th day of lent, in some of the traditions. The challenge of lent is that there are some who faithfully observe lent but then fall into the trap of pride and the feeling that the observers of lent are better than the others. We also have those who haven’t observed lent and feel that it means they won’t be accepted by God. When for one group mid lent means that they have accomplished something, for the other group it means that they are out of the picture and are sinners who won’t qualify for the grace and mercy of God.
Today in some traditions, a cross is mounted on a stand which signifies the bronze snake mounted on a pole by Moses and the mounting of Jesus Christ our Lord as hope and liberation for all of us. We can either look at the cross with guilt and pain that we have let down Jesus or we can look at the cross with hope, with courage and a mind which says that we won’t give up no matter what. People are encouraged to kiss the cross as soon as they enter the church. As we pay homage and bow with humility it is also a strengthening of our mind and body. There needs to be a communication with the cross and a belief that the cross will not let us down, because it stands for our Lord Jesus. Even on the cross, Jesus will not let us down, because he is the resurrected Lord, the chief priest and prince of peace.
Churches have symbols and icons which take us closer to God. At no point should we worship the particular picture or icon but worship the God that it points to. The cross in church points to our Lord who gave up his life on the cross for us. It is at the same time heart breaking and heartening that someone gave up his life for us. Would anyone give up their life and dreams for us? Even our parents, siblings, partner, children, friends, family? Perhaps they will do it but there will be a limit to it. But Christ’s love is limitless.
Who would accept us as we are? Without our money, family name, fame? Who would love us to the point of bringing us to tears and a complete turn around? We should rely on the cross and also lead our family, friends and children to the cross. We won’t be able to love others unconditionally because we are always weighed down by culture, expectations and fear. The cross mounted in church today is beyond all this, because it showcases our Lord Jesus, who treats us with dignity, showers us with unconditional love and offers us limitless hope. Amen.
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