Meanings for the Symbols used in the calendar

The texts today in the Roman Catholic Lectionary celebrate the Triumph of the Cross. The tradition tells us that the feast was initiated to celebrate the return of the Calvary cross to Jerusalem by Emperor Heralius in 629. The invitation to believers today is to be open to the paths of obedience and humility on our spiritual journey. The Israelites in the episode from the Book of Numbers required obedient observance of Moses humiliating instructions to be saved from the poison of the serpent. The psalmist advises repentance and searching for God as the antidote to pride and ingratitude. This change of attitude will make the mercy and compassion of God visible once again. Paul presents a hymn of his time which makes clear the path of Jesus is to be humble and obedient to the will of the Father. The passage from the Gospel of John enriches the well known John 3:16 passage with the earlier verses and following verses that invite those "so loved" to enter into Jesus role as humble and obedient to the Father as so to participate in communion with Him in the salvation of the world.