The Cross reveals the reality of humanity

We all know the story when the people of God had to face fiery serpents in the wilderness (Num. 21: 4-9). I live in a country (Malta) where there are no venomous snakes, so it was only after I went to the missions in Pakistan that I experienced people fearing snakes so much.

In the wilderness, snakes normally hide in the sand until they attack someone. So in the story when the Israelites spoke against God, He sent poisonous snakes and most died. When the people realised their sin, God asked Moses to make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who was bitten looked at it and lived.

What a strange gesture! Isn’t it strange to ask someone to look at the problem to solve the problem? Isn’t it strange to look at a serpent in order to be healed from the poison of the serpent? Or was God telling the people that the only way how to deal with the thing you fear is by facing the fear itself? To deal with your sin, you need to lift your sin high in broad light.

So Jesus says, just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up. (Jn. 3: 14) Jesus on the Cross is all we could do. That’s our work, our ability. The crucified God represents our sin, the extremity of our human weakness. From up there Jesus was quick to excuse us, as we were unable to see and understand what we were doing. It’s the action of someone who is blind, and still in darkness.

The Jews did not kill Jesus because they knew He was the Son of God. They killed Him because His words brought light to their action. He revealed the work of the ego in them. They were not ready for the big transformation that He proposed to them. He was a treat to their hidden acts.

The snake on the pole reveals the problem of the people of God. The God on the Cross reveals the reality of humanity. Looking at the cross would make us understand our hidden deeds. The cross challenges us to face our evil deeds. It’s only when we come to light that our deeds are exposed. If we continue to love darkness more than light so that our deeds are not uncovered, then we miss eternal life, now. Only “those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.” (Jn. 3: 21).

Bringing your sin to the light is a work your ego will never like. And it’s the only way how to deal with it. You acknowledge your sin in humility. That’s the way it was always done in the Church (James 5:16). The Catholic Church kept doing this exercise throughout the years even if now they do it with one person (priest). We are caught in sickness (ego work) if we do not admit our sins in front of each other. We’re not talking about forgiveness. We’re talking about healing. So bring your sin to the cross that is held high and do not be afraid to look at it. Maybe that is why John insists that they looked on him who was pierced (Jn. 19:37).