Never Forget the Works of the Lord

The Church today invites us to exalt the Holy Cross, because on the Cross God revealed the depth of his love and the power of redemption. The Cross is the place where human sin encounters divine mercy, and where death is transformed into the pathway to eternal life. In the first reading, the Israelites became impatient during their journey through the desert. They complained against God and forgot what the Lord had already done for them. They had been liberated from slavery in Egypt, guided through the Red Sea, protected in the wilderness, and fed with manna. But, when the journey became difficult, they forgot the works of the Lord. This is why Psalm 78 is so important: “Do not forget the works of the Lord!” Forgetfulness can become a spiritual danger. When we forget God's faithfulness, we easily become consumed by our present difficulties. We see the problem but forget the God who has carried us through previous problems. We remember the wound but forget the healing; we remember the trial but forget the grace; we remember the desert but forget the Promised Land. God instructed Moses to lift the bronze serpent so that those who had been bitten could look upon it and live. Jesus uses this event to explain the mystery of his own Cross: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” The Cross, therefore, is not a symbol of defeat. It is the throne from which Christ reveals his victory. Philippians tells us that Jesus humbled himself, becoming obedient even to death on a cross, and because of this, God exalted him. The way of Christ is the way of humility, obedience, sacrifice, and love. The Cross also reveals the heart of God: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” God did not send Jesus to condemn the world but to save it. When we look at the Cross, therefore, we should not see only suffering; we should see love that refuses to abandon us. Today, whenever we face suffering, disappointment, failure, or uncertainty, let us look toward the Cross and remember. Remember what God has done. Remember the prayers he has answered, the dangers from which he has rescued us, the people through whom he has blessed us, and the countless mercies we have received. Never forget the works of the Lord. The God who was faithful yesterday remains faithful today and will remain faithful tomorrow. May the Cross of Christ remind us that even when we cannot understand God's ways, we can still trust his love.