22nd March 2009 :: 4th Sunday in Lent
The first three hundred years of the Christian faith were marked by much bloodshed and persecution. But around the year 313AD the Emperor Constantine is reported to have seen a vision of a Cross in the sky with the following words around it 'in hoc signo vinces', in this sign you will conquer. From that moment he allowed Christianity to be practised freely throughout the Roman Empire, the rest as they say is history. The Cross is a very important symbol of our faith, it marks the graves of our loved ones, it hangs in many of our homes, we sign ourselves when passing a Church or Graveyard, or when we begin and end our prayer. However it is not the Cross itself that is important, but what it says about our God, that he loved the world so much and gave his only Son to be our Saviour.
A number of years ago it was reported that the Golden Arches of McDonalds are more recognizable than the Christian Cross. While the former provides sustenance for a time, the latter gives solace and hope and ultimately salvation. In the time of Christ the Romans often used crucifixion to execute those who stepped outside the law. And thousands were condemned to that death. The difference for us as Christians is we state that the Jew called Jesus who was crucified by Pontius Pilate on the Friday after Passover was the Son of God. His shameful death was endured to show exactly how much God loved this world. So for us the Cross is the greatest symbol of Love, a love that was proved by the suffering and death of Jesus.
Very few of us escape some sharing in the Cross of Christ, we may not have to endure what he did, but in our own way we follow in his footsteps with the many tragedies that come our way, all the unfairness that life throws at us. But if we follow, if we accept our lot, we are guaranteed hope and salvation in the next world, where all our questions will be answered, we will meet all our loved ones who are with God, and all our tears will be swept away. Amen.
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Homilies Archive
17nd May 2009
26th April 2009
3rd Sunday of Easter
12th April 2009
Easter Sunday
9th April 2009
Holy Thursday
29th March 2009
5th Sunday in Lent
22nd March 2009
4th Sunday in Lent
17th March 2009
St Patrick's Day
15th March 2009
3rd Sunday in Lent
8th March 2009
2nd Sunday in Lent
1st March 2009
1st Sunday in Lent
25th February 2009
Ash Wednesday
22nd February 2009
8th February 2009
1st February 2009
25th January 2009
18th January 2009
11th January 2009
Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
6th January 2009
Feast of the Epiphany
4th January 2009
2008 HOMILIES ARCHIVE
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