Triumph of the Cross [supersedes 24th Sunday of OT]

 


THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS


You’re staring at the television, and what do you see? You see an ominous black vehicle speeding down the lane. It’s now turning, entering into a dark alley. This alley has the appearance of being a dead-end. The car is rushing straight toward a brick wall. You’re expecting a crash. However, something else happens instead. The brick wall opens up; it’s not a dead-end. It looks like a dead-end. But it’s being revealed as a passageway. 


What you’ve just witnessed is the aftermath of a Green Hornet action scene. The Green Hornet and his side-kick Kato are crime-fighters (popular on radio in the 1940’s and on television in the late 1960’s). When they learn about criminal activity, they respond, they neutralize the threat, and then they report back to the Green Hornet lair. The alleyway, with its retracting wall, serves as a secret entry and exit point. 


How does this relate to the symbol of the cross? Think of it this way: the cross and the alleyway parallel one another. As was noted earlier, the alley has the appearance of being a dead-end. Nevertheless, appearances can be deceiving. By paying attention, you’ll be able to recognize that the dead-end is actually a passageway. Perhaps the same can be said about the Cross of Calvary. If you’re one of the early disciples, the cross would seem to represent a dead-end. The movement has come to a screeching halt. It’s as if you have crashed into a brick wall. 


The key is to pay attention. The disciples will soon discover that this brick wall has another function. If it was anybody else approaching, the wall would continue to be a wall. But when it’s Jesus approaching, the wall opens; it becomes a passageway. It presents itself as a passageway for Jesus. And it will likewise present itself as a passageway for those who have formed a bond with Jesus. So there’s not going to be a collision. We’re not slamming into a brick wall; rather, we’re traveling through a passageway. We’re not halting; we’re somehow continuing to move forward. 


Do we understand what’s happening? Not necessarily. Then again, maybe we don’t have to understand. What we need to do is celebrate. We will want to celebrate, even if we can’t bring ourselves to understand. Thanks to Jesus and his mission, Heaven is being brought into range. Suddenly it’s not so far away. A Green Hornet mission makes us feel a little bit safer. A New Covenant mission makes us feel (more than a little bit) redeemed. 

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