September 14, 2026
The Cross: God’s Ultimate Sacrifice of Love
By Karen A. Avitabile
On September 14, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross (or Triumph of the Cross), we honor the Holy Cross by which Christ redeemed the world.
“If my death on the cross does not convince you of my love, what will convince you?” Jesus said to St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, to demonstrate his willingness to suffer a brutal crucifixion for humanity’s sins.
This was a core message in St. Faustina’s Diary of Divine Mercy, a spiritual autobiography which details her conversations and exchanges with Jesus Christ, expressed through her devotion, prayers and mission to spread God’s message of divine mercy to the world.
We know that God in his infinite wisdom and goodness sent us Jesus as our redeemer. Jesus is central to God’s most benevolent plan. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (Jn 3:16)
The cross stands as the most profound display of God’s boundless love and his invitation to trust in his mercy while accepting our own crosses. The image of Christ crucified on the cross is one of the most poignant focal points of our faith. He was nailed to a cross, scourged for our transgressions and shed every bit of his precious blood for our redemption and a new path to eternal life.
Through Christ’s sacrifice and victory over death, we are called to live a life characterized by deep spiritual intimacy, inner wholeness, discipleship and the promise of eternity.
Meditating on the cross offers a profound, personal connection with Christ. Amid life’s trials and triumphs, and in all our moments of grace, we need to turn our gaze lovingly toward the Savior who converts our suffering into strength, restores us to full union with God, and grants us lasting endurance, comfort, selfless love, redemption and reconciliation.
We are here as stewards of God’s divine purpose, fulfilling his will while embracing the way of the cross.
(Karen A. Avitabile is the editor of the Catholic Transcript magazine for the Archdiocese of Hartford.)
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