I recently read this wonderful story: A girl saw the minister make the sign of the cross on the people. So she made the sign on her playmates and then on her toys. She made the sign of the cross on her mother and father and on the people who rode on buses. She made the sign over her bed and on her favorite storybooks. Sometimes she made the sign of the cross over her food, and the bread tasted better to her.

When she was much older, she made the same sign over the body of her dying friend, who smiled and said, “We Christians do have this sign to see by.” The sign of the cross reminded the woman and her dying friend of important things. The sign was what they needed to look ahead and not be afraid. It gave perspective to the pilgrimage…

You and I have this sign to see by too. It reminds us of important things too. It gives perspective to our pilgrimage too. Especially during this season of Lent, we see so very clearly the sign of the cross. Week after week as we draw ever nearer to Calvary we are reminded of the forgiveness of sins won for us on that cross. We are reminded that on that cross God forsook His own Son so that we might never be forsaken. We are reminded that the cross gives way to the tomb—a tomb which is open and empty and which proclaims with joy and praise: Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

As we once again make our pilgrimage from Ash Wednesday to Good Friday to Easter, may the cross of Christ be the sign by which we see His love, His grace, His mercy—and may it be for you and me the sign by which He leads us to look ahead and not be afraid. God bless you on your Lenten pilgrimage.