Homily Sept 14: The Exaltation of the Cross - Jesus Redeemed the Cross

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross invites us to see how Jesus transformed an instrument of torture into the greatest symbol of victory and love. This challenging homily explores how the cross demands more than admiration—it calls for complete discipleship in a world where violence often replaces dialogue.

• The cross was Rome's way of saying "your life doesn't matter" but Jesus transformed it into a proclamation of love
• A cross is not a decoration but a demand that asks if we will follow Jesus completely
• When violence enters public life and threatens free speech, we betray the cross
• Recent political violence reminds us that truth needs witnesses, not weapons
• Students are challenged to speak truth with love rather than retreat into silence
• Personal suffering, when carried with Christ, becomes a doorway to eternal life
• Love, not hatred or violence, always has the last word

Hail O Holy Cross, our only hope.