Hatred of the cross

We know of violent systems and violent people who express hatred for the cross of Jesus.  It’s hard to understand why they hate the cross with the symbol of Jesus Crucified.  Surprisingly the devils fear the cross as well as other symbols of Jesus, as the stole and the blessed –holy—water.   

Why, if the cross ties Jesus down to helplessness?

The reason probably is that the cross symbolizes God’s power over sin and death, and behind the cross is the power of the glorious resurrection of Jesus.  It could be one of the reasons.  It’s evident that without any force or pressure, the greater numbers of the populations have elected to become Christians.

Thanksgiving to the Almighty

IF there is anything to do in our lives, it is best of all an act of thanksgiving to the Almighty for all His mighty deeds of love and care.  We tend to forget this as we get so grossly preoccupied with self-interested worries and thoughts about future fears or possible happenings we think may possibly occur to us.  But all this is simply some indication of a lack of trust in the Almighty and loving Lord.

What is important is to anchor our trust in the loving care of the Almighty instead of becoming enslaved to a thousand worrisome thoughts that can sap the energies of our mind and bodies.  That’s what the Lord Jesus meant to tell us: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow, they do not harvest and do not store food in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not worth much more than birds?  Can any of you add a day to your life by worrying about it?  Why are you so worried about your clothes?  Look at the flowers in the fields how they grow. They do not toil or spin.  But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his wealth was clothed like one of these.  Do not worry and say: What are we going to eat?  What are we going to drink?  Or: what shall we wear?  The pagans busy themselves with such things; but your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  Set your heart first on the kingdom and justice of God and all these things will also be given to you”  (Mt. 6:25-29; 31-33).   

Poor mortals that we are, we think that by much worrying we solve our problems. But the opposite is true, we might solve life’s problems better by trusting and praying to God for help.  After all God’s help is open for those who trust in Him, as this has been proven in the lives of many great and saintly persons in the history of the world and humanity.

Robur pacis veritas

It was a quite significant symbol one of our former Apostolic Nuncios (Mons. Antonio Moreni) gave me, a medal depicting Jesus talking to Peter with the above inscription in Latin—Robur Pacis Veritas (the meaning of which is: The strength of peace lies in the truth).

You get to know the truth by being open to education in the various fields and aspects of reality.  When there is oppression forbidding such openness to truth or reality, then ignorance and violence reigns.  After all, truth is identical to reality.  You have that in the study of Metaphysics.

Besides, when people deceive others, they only show part of the truth, not the whole truth.  That is why it is said:  a lie is a half-truth.  Just like a deceptive salesman who shows a good product without telling you of a defective part.  And the Bible tells us: “The devil is a murderer and the father of lies” (Jn. 8:44).

St. Edith Stein, a Carmelite and Jewish convert to Catholicism, a co-patroness of Europe said some striking words: “He who seeks the truth, seeks God, whether he is aware of it or not.”  That’s it.  We only need to be sincere in our dialogues and quest for the truth, doing away with pride and greed so we may arrive at the “splendor of truth” and the “strength of peace which lies in the truth.”

Too much worrying

In the Bible, Jesus our Lord, advises against excessive worries over our daily needs.  “So do not worry; do not say, ‘What are we to eat?  What are we to drink?  How are we to be clothed?’  It is the pagans who set their hearts on all these things.  Your heavenly Father knows you need them all.  Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on his righteousness, and all these other things will be given you as well.  So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself.  Each day has enough troubles of its own” (Mt. 6:31-34).

This is good for your mental health and stability otherwise excessive worries might be a cause for mental imbalance.  Of course, the thing to do is to bravely face your duties and problems in life and do what can be done, as calmly as possible.  You don’t need to lose your balanced composure, rather, as one author has said: “Face the situation fearlessly and there is no situation to be faced.”