Sunday, September 14, 2014

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross


In today's Gospel passage, Nicodemus is like one of those folks so resistant to change that they keep claiming that new possibilities are still impossible. Nicodemus is so flummoxed by the unexpected nature of Jesus' images and the possibilities of his promises that all he can keep stupidly stammering is "How is this possible?" "How is this possible ...?"-How is it possible for us to be born "from above" after our first physical birthday is long past?


-How is it possible for us to see and enter into the "kingdom of God"?

-How is it possible for sinful men and women to "ascend into heaven"?

-How is it possible that mortal creatures such as ourselves may gain "eternal life"?

The answer to the question, "How is it possible?" is "We've got an Impossible God!" That is to say, a God who defies what is possible, who transforms a "no-way-José-unbelief" into obedient faith.

Our impossible, too-good-to-be-true God outlines the core of this reality in this memorable verse: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life."  

Indeed all things are now possible because "God so loved the world ... and gave us his only Son." 

Indeed, Jesus is proof of God's commitment to doing the impossible.