The cross is the primary symbol of the Christian faith. It recalls not just the death of Jesus but also his call for those who follow him to take up their own cross. This is the central irony of the Christian way of life: we must be willing to die to the world’s values of success and power if we are to experience the abundant life that comes as a gift of God. The cross reminds us daily that life is a gift, not an achievement.
The history of Christianity is sadly filled with examples of using the cross as a sign of dominance over others rather than service toward them. Life should be lived cruciform: that is, loving God (the vertical arm of the cross), and loving our neighbor as ourselves (the horizontal arm). When we lift high the cross, we serve God obediently and the world humbly.
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