05/21/2021
A few semesters ago I was having a hard time and I was feeling very stagnant in my faith. One day after church I was looking for something to cheer myself up and I found an article called “The Day I was Drawn to the Cross” by Bill Turnbull. It talked all about the symbolism of the cross and the crucifixion and opened my eyes to a new way of thinking about Christ and his sacrifice. Our church often focuses on the resurrection which I love because it is so joyful and hopeful. But because we are usually focused on the resurrection I hadn’t really thought about the symbolism and the importance behind the image of the cross. One of my favorite parts of this essay says “Jesus had transformed this instrument of shame, fear and death into a symbol of wholeness, hope and life.” I absolutely love this idea. The cross, which was originally a sign of torture and death, was turned into a symbol of light by Christ. And he can do the same for us. When we take our personal struggles to Him, He can give us rest and light when life feels dark. He can help us transform our personal crosses and make us feel whole. Another thing I love about this article is that it talks about the symbolism in the shape of the cross. It talks about how the cross stretches downward, symbolizing Christ’s ability to descend to our darkest places with us. At the same time, it stretches upward, toward the heavens. Christ not only descends with us in our pain, he is there to help us reach up, connect with our Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother, and become better. The cross then stretches outward symbolizing our connection with others. I love it when the article says “I thought of Jesus’ arms spread on the cross, fixed by nails of our making, reaching wide, welcoming all, comprehending all.” I think this symbolism is so beautiful. Even in His moments of most weakness, Christ had his arms open to us. He really does comprehend all and because of the atonement and the crucifixion he has perfect empathy.
