On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, we celebrate the great Christian paradox: an instrument of death has become the sign of life, and a symbol of condemnation has become a source of grace. In this homily, Fr. Nareg reflects on what the Cross reveals about the nature of genuine love. To love another person is to make ourselves vulnerable to the possibility of disappointment, separation, and ultimately loss. But Christian love asks for something more than vulnerability: love requires sacrifice. The words of John 3:16 reveal the fullest expression of this truth: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son.” On the Cross, divine love does not remain an idea or an emotion; it gives itself completely. Through that sacrifice, death is transformed into life and curse into grace. As we look upon the Cross, we are invited to ask a personal question: What am I willing to give up for the people I say I love? The Cross calls us not simply to admire God's love, but to reflect that sacrificial love in our own relationships and lives.
