The Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Numbers 21:4-9 | Psalm 77:1-2,34-38 | Philippians 2:6-11 | John 3:13-17
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. (Numbers 21:9)
IDOL WORSHIP!!!
Um, no. There’s a big difference between a symbol and an idol, that’s best understood by reading what King Hezekiah eventually did with that bronze serpent:
It was he who abolished the high places, broke the pillars, cut down the sacred poles and smashed the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for up to that time the Israelites had offered sacrifice to it; it was called Nehushtan. (2 Kings 18:4)
It’s the same serpent, but what we do with it determines whether we’ve crossed the line into idolatry.
The Israelites in Moses’ time used the serpent as a reminder to return to the God who loved them. They did not have touch it, or kiss it; just looking at it, reflecting on their transgressions and mentally turning about to face God again was sufficient.
The Israelites in Hezekiah’s time, though, treated it like a god, believing that the power of healing resided within it. To them, the serpent was a magic object with a “life” of its own, and I’ve written previously about how even we Catholics can fall prey to idolatrous behaviour.
However, symbols are essential to human belief of any stripe, even Catholicism. We simply find it difficult to relate to pure concepts, so we need something visual and concrete that itself points to what we wish to understand or behold.
When I go to sleep at night, then wake up refreshed the next morning, it’s as if I’d died and come back to life again. I didn’t literally expire 1, but it’s a powerful reminder to discard all the detritus and transgressions of the previous day and begin anew with God.
The crucifix around my neck, and the huge marble one at church, are symbols that remind me of the Christ who was sent, “not to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved.” (John 3:17) I don’t rub either for good luck, as I’m sure that Jesus doesn’t reside in gold or stone, but I do gaze on both often, to keep Him in mind.
More importantly, if either crucifix were lost or destroyed for whatever reason, it would cause me some small pang of regret, but I wouldn’t think that my life would now be infested by flaming serpents, or leprous sores, or 7×7 years of horrible luck. Instead, I’ll find some other way to remind myself of the Son of God, who emptied Himself to become man, and gave up His life to save all mankind.
We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You,
because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Amen.