Luke 10:2
"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few."
Readings for Sunday: Isaiah, Galatians, Luke
Reflection:
Why do Catholics display crucifixes rather than empty crosses? The answer lies in what the crucifix proclaims. First, when St. Paul boasts only in, “the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal 6:14) he never imagines a bloodless beam. For him “the cross” always means the suffering Lord—“we preach Christ crucified”
(1 Cor 1:23). A crucifix makes that invisible proclamation visible: yes, Christ is risen, but the victory was won through a real death freely offered for us.
Second, the corpus reminds us at once of the price of sin and the immensity of divine love. Gazing on the Crucified we recall that, “Christ suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous” (1 Pet 3:18). Healthy guilt is not morbid; it can lead to repentance. And repentance is necessary if we want to receive God’s forgiveness.
When forgiven, we should respond with gratitude. Like the debtor who loved the creditor more after forgiveness (Lk 7:41-43), we love God more deeply because we see what redemption cost Him. Ultimately, the image of Christ Crucified is a reminder of the radical love God has for us.
Third, the crucifix keeps our eyes fixed on salvation, not self-help. Some preachers promise earthly blessings in the sense of health and wealth, yet St. Paul—martyred for the gospel—trained, “to win an imperishable crown” (1 Cor 9:25). Christ on the cross tells us discipleship is costly (“Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me’” Matt 16:24).
The empty tomb tells us that discipleship is worthwhile. Faced with that contrast, we must choose Christ over the fallen “world” that was crucified to Paul and to us (Gal 6:14). Far from denying the Resurrection, the crucifix anchors Christian hope: the Lamb once slain now lives—and invites us to follow.
Reflection Questions
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When you look at a crucifix, what personal meaning does it hold for you?
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Do you find yourself more drawn to the comfort of the Resurrection or the challenge of the Cross?
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How can you cooperate more intentionally with God’s grace in your life, like St. Paul and the other apostles did?