First reading Numbers 21:4-9
If anyone was bitten by a serpent, he looked up at the bronze serpent and lived
On the way through the wilderness the people lost patience. They spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in this wilderness? For there is neither bread nor water here; we are sick of this unsatisfying food.’
At this God sent fiery serpents among the people; their bite brought death to many in Israel. The people came and said to Moses, ‘We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Intercede for us with the Lord to save us from these serpents.’ Moses interceded for the people, and the Lord answered him, ‘Make a fiery serpent and put it on a standard. If anyone is bitten and looks at it, he shall live.’ So Moses fashioned a bronze serpent which he put on a standard, and if anyone was bitten by a serpent, he looked at the bronze serpent and lived.
Responsorial Psalm 77(78):1-2,34-38
Never forget the deeds of the Lord.
Give heed, my people, to my teaching;
turn your ear to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable
and reveal hidden lessons of the past.
When he slew them then they would seek him,
return and seek him in earnest.
They would remember that God was their rock,
God the Most High their redeemer.
But the words they spoke were mere flattery;
they lied to him with their lips.
For their hearts were not truly with him;
they were not faithful to his covenant.
Yet he who is full of compassion
forgave them their sin and spared them.
So often he held back his anger
when he might have stirred up his rage.
Second reading Philippians 2:6-11
Christ humbled himself but God raised him high
His state was divine,
yet Christ Jesus did not cling
to his equality with God
but emptied himself
to assume the condition of a slave
and became as men are;
and being as all men are,
he was humbler yet,
even to accepting death,
death on a cross.
But God raised him high
and gave him the name
which is above all other names
so that all beings
in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld,
should bend the knee at the name of Jesus
and that every tongue should acclaim
Jesus Christ as Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Gospel John 3:13-17
God sent his Son so that through him the world might be saved
Jesus said to Nicodemus:
‘No one has gone up to heaven
except the one who came down from heaven,
the Son of Man who is in heaven;
and the Son of Man must be lifted up
as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.
Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost
but may have eternal life.
For God sent his Son into the world
not to condemn the world,
but so that through him the world might be saved.’
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Contemplating Jesus on the cross
Today, as we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, we reflect deeper on the profound significance of the cross in our lives as disciples of Jesus. It is at the foot of the cross where we encounter the embodiment of faithful love- the kind of love so profound that it turned even the greatest suffering into a testament of hope. As we look at Jesus on the cross, let us be reminded that He willingly laid down His life, not
only as a sacrifice but as a gift, so that we might embrace life in all its richness and fullness.
To truly approach the cross is to confront ourselves; it demands a transformation that requires us to leave behind something of ourselves, i.e. our pride, prejudices, jealousy, anger and indifference. It is in dying to ourselves that we open our hearts to receive Jesus’ love and to share it with others. Let us contemplate Jesus on the cross and allow ourselves to be unconditionally loved by Jesus. Even when we turn away or harden our hearts against Him, His love remains steadfast and unwavering. His love is our hope and joy.
Reflective question:
What does the cross mean for me?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
