Take up your cross

I love how writing challenges me. Every time I think I know what I’m doing, the story or plot or language make me look like a fool. It’s like the Writing Gremlins have their eyes on me. When they see me start to get too cocky or full of myself, they say “not so fast Mr. Know-It-All, let’s see if you really know what you’re doing.”

For example, many English words and phrases have two or more distinct meanings, often sharing a common concept or origin. They’re called polysemous words that have meanings that can be traced back to a single root. “Bank” refers to a financial institution or a banking building. It can also mean a river’s edge or a slope. “Head,” meanwhile, refers to the top of the body or the leader of an organization.

It’s challenging enough figuring out one meaning, but polysemous words make things even more interesting.

Easter is the same way. It has different meanings.

Here’s what I mean. You see the cross often during Easter. It’s a key symbol in the Christian faith. You can find a cross in most churches. My church has a huge one by the altar. Jesus is slumped to one side. His eyes are closed and his head is facing downward.

On one hand the cross symbolizes suffering and violent death. Can you image the pain of having spikes through your wrists and feet? Let’s not forget his side pierced by a lance and being forced to wear a crown made of thorns. It’s kind of a scary image.

But then I find it fascinating how Jesus turned that same scary cross into something good. He transformed the cross, an instrument of torture, into a symbol of salvation and resurrection. It’s the ultimate triumph of grace over shame, reconciliation over brokenness, and eternal life over destruction.

He showed us how to be like the “Good Thief” — the one who owned up to his sins and recognized Jesus as the Son of God. His simple plea, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom,” serves as a reminder that it’s never too late to ask for mercy.

He became the first person to see the duel nature of the cross and to receive the promise of Paradise.

And Jesus replied, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

One word, two different meanings.

On this Good Friday, I see the pain of the cross. I also see its beauty and how it’s a symbol of triumph and celebration. Thank you God.

And yes, Happy Easter to you and yours.

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“The message of the cross, while terrible, holds hope. Through Christ’s suffering comes forgiveness and a new beginning” —Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson.

“Unless there is a Good Friday in your life, there can be no Easter Sunday.” — Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

“If Good Friday were the end of the story, Christians would have little reason for hope. But resurrection Sunday reminds us that death does not win.” —Tom Shepard

“Whenever we think of Christ we should recall the love that led Him to bestow on us so many graces… for love calls for love in return.” —St. Teresa of Avila

“All the darkness of the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.” —Saint Francis of Assisi