Reflection for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

"Brothers and sisters, only the ascent of the cross leads to the goal of glory. This is the way: from the cross to glory. The worldly temptation is to seek glory in bypassing the cross. We would prefer paths that are familiar, direct and smooth, but to encounter the light of Jesus we must continually leave ourselves behind and follow him upwards. The Lord who, as we heard, first “brought Abraham outside” (Gen. 15:5), also invites us to move outwards and upwards."

--Pope Francis, Homily, March 12, 2022