The cross of Christ is the mystery of our faith and the paradox of our world. It reveals to us the true nature of God, who died and lives, who suffers and saves, who hides and shows. It also challenges us to interpret the cross in our own context, and to recognize the limitations of our knowledge and the possibilities of God’s grace.
Vitor Westhelle helps us to understand this by using the analogy of the Shabbat, the Jewish-Christian tradition of resting on the seventh day. He says that the Shabbat is a sign of God’s work of creation and redemption, which is both finished and ongoing, both revealed and concealed. He also says that the Shabbat is a time of faith desiring, which is a way of seeking God’s presence and purpose in the midst of the world, which is both broken and beautiful, both fallen and redeemed.
Like Westhelle, we should recognize that God is both hidden and revealed in the cross, and that we can only know God by faith, not by reason. We are to resist the temptation of reducing the cross to a single meaning or a simple formula, and to explore the multiple dimensions and implications of the cross for our lives and our world. We are to live as interpreters of the cross, and to share the mystery of God’s love and suffering with others.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,
In the depths of Your sacrifice, You reveal the profound mystery of Your faith. Your cross, the paradox of our world, is a testament to Your divine love and sacrifice. It is the symbol of Your death and resurrection, Your suffering and salvation, Your hiddenness and revelation.
We acknowledge the challenge to interpret the cross in our own context, recognizing the limitations of our understanding and the boundless possibilities of God’s grace. Like Vitor Westhelle, we see in the Shabbat a reflection of God’s work of creation and redemption, both finished and ongoing, both revealed and concealed. It is a time of faith, a yearning for Your presence and purpose in the midst of the world, both broken and beautiful, both fallen and redeemed.
We understand that in the cross, God is both hidden and revealed, known only by faith, not by reason. We resist the temptation to reduce the cross to a single meaning or a simple formula, choosing instead to explore its multiple dimensions and implications for our lives and our world. We live as interpreters of the cross, sharing the mystery of Your love and suffering with others.
Grant us the wisdom to understand the mystery of the cross, to unite our suffering with Your suffering, and to seek Your presence and purpose in the midst of our world. May we live in faith, yearning for Your grace, and sharing Your love with all.
In Your name, we pray. Amen.
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