Precious the Wood

"Precious the wood. Precious the nails. Precious the weight they bear!" 

These words, uttered by the patron saint of our diocese, St. Didacus (San Diego), are fitting as we celebrate the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross.  These were San Diego's last words before he died.

The last words before Jesus died were, "Into your hands Lord I commend my spirit!"

The total abandonment of Jesus – to commend his spirit – was The moment of our salvation. Humbling himself to become like us in all things but sin, being humiliated and nailed to a cross, and abandoning himself to the awesome majesty of God, was Jesus' ultimate reward.  He now reigns with our Father in heaven.

Commending his spirit to God, he commends us as well. He does not condemn!  He commends!

Precious indeed is the wood, but nails, and the weight they bear!

Father John Dolan