Homily for 14 Sep 2017

14 Sep 2017

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

(School Mass)

Chicken soup—sometimes chicken noodle soup—that works when you have a stomach ache.  It makes you feel better.  Sometimes, though, you have to have something really simple like toast and milk.  Or even warm milk.  That works sometimes.  Of course, if you’re really sick, you might have to take some medicine, like Pepto-Bismol or Nyquil or something.

Anyway...there are lots of different things we can do to make us feel better if we’re sick.  But what about if we’re not sick, but we’re...sad, or lonely, or maybe we feel bad because we were mean to somebody.  Then what do we do?

Well, we can always look at the Cross of Jesus.  Remember what he said in the gospel...”I have to be lifted up [on the Cross] so that everybody who believes in me may have eternal life,” and be healed and made well again.  If you’re sad, just look at the Cross.  And Jesus will be sad with you.  If you’re lonely, just look at the Cross.  And Jesus will be there with you; we’re never alone with Jesus.  Or if we’re feeling bad because we were mean to somebody, just look at the Cross.  And Jesus will say, “I forgive you.  And I love you always.”

The Cross of Jesus is like chicken soup for our spirit.  And that’s because when we see the Cross, we see God’s powerful love.  And love is the best medicine he has for us—even better than soup, or toast and milk, or Pepto-Bismol.  God’s love makes us better.  Thanks be to God for such a sweet-tasting medicine to heal our spirits, the medicine of his love poured out for us; for you and me.