As we celebrate the feast of The Exaltation of the Cross also known as ‘The Triumph of the Cross’ , Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of John (3: 13-17) in which Jesus says to Nicodemus ‘For God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved’’.

Fr Paul says a common question that is asked is ‘Why do we as Christians exalt an instrument of torture (that is the Cross)?’

Firstly, we rejoice that something so terrible should have been transformed into a means of redemption for the whole human race.

Secondly, we remind ourselves of the fact that Christianity is not an abstract and spiritual religion. It springs from God’s direct intervention in the affairs of the world, a real historical event involving real people and, in the end, a real execution on a real cross. We may theorize and theologize all we like; but all our theorising and theologising are nothing without the history on which they are based.

If you take away that history – take away the Cross – then Christianity is nonsense.

Today, Fr Paul, suggests, we might just take some time to look at the cross and reflect.