You're listening to I Pray with the Gospel on the St. Jose Maria Institute podcast.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, amen.

My Lord and my God, I firmly believe that you are here, that you see me, that you hear me.

I adore you with profound reverence.

I ask your pardon for my sins, and the grace to make this time of prayer fruitful.

My Immaculate Mother, St. Joseph, my Father and Lord, my guardian angel, intercede for me.

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

A reading from the Gospel of John, Chapter 3.

No one has ascended into heaven, but he who has descended from heaven, the son of man.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the son of man be lifted up,

that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

For God sent the sun into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

On one occasion, when the people of Israel were in the desert, they faced the curse of the

multitude of snakes, which bit and killed many of the Israelites. They prayed to the Lord,

and he ordered Moses to take a bronze serpent and lifted up on a pole.

Those who looked at it were healed from the poison of the serpents. The Holy Cross of our Lord

has real healing power. Such a simple sign means a lot to us. Every crucifix reminds us of the

love of God for each one of us. Every crucifix is

like a label, with the price of our ransom paid by Jesus with his blood. Lovers carry with them a picture of their

beloved. A father has in his wallet a picture of his wife and children. Good Christians should also carry a crucifix in their pockets.

The crucifix is an effective weapon against the poison of the enemy.

The devil has been described as a roaring lion to be feared, but in the presence of her crucifix the lion becomes a tame cat.

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