"For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
1 Corinthians 1:18
The Cross! We wear it as Jewelry, we decorate our homes with it, and we use it to identify our churches. But what does it really stand for? In the mind of man, the cross often symbolizes weakness and failure. How ridiculous it seems, in the view of our world, for the power of God to be expressed through this crucifixion? But, Christ's crucifixion is the crowning revelation of God. Those at the foot of the cross and those who observed Jesus' public life experienced the presence of God and the key to God's true intent for our universe. The cross totally contradicts our preconceived ideas about power and wisdom. Through Jesus Christ, God has provided us the perfect example of justice and love, showing that true power is based in love and not domination. Through the cross, God reveals his method for dealing with the sinful ways and perspectives of the world. He meets them head on and masters them through overwhelming, redeeming and forgiving love. What we see as the foolishness of God, demonstrated by his allowing the crucifixion of his son, demonstrates our foolishness in accepting the values of the world over God's values. What seems to be God's most foolish act is greater than the world's greatest wisdom. As we go through this Lenten season, let us look at our lives through the prism of the cross and pray as our Lord taught us, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as in heaven."
The Ven. Kerry J. Smith
