F2014JackHannah

I did not grow up with the Virgin of Guadalupe icon.  I was raised in a non-denominational Christian environment, so Jesus Christ was the central figure in my faith tradition.  He is the way, the truth and the life.  I attended Sunday school regularly, learning bible stories about Jesus life and teachings.  Also, I heard about his twelve disciples, the journey with Jesus they experienced and miracles they performed.  In terms of an icon, the cross is the central image in my faith tradition because it represents the most important event in Jesus’ life. 

The cross represents Jesus’ sacrificial death for sin.  He died for my sins, to obliterate all my moral debt, and when I pray, I find forgiveness with God.  The cross is displayed in Christian churches and homes all across America.  My mom decorates our house with crosses, on top of one chest in particular.  I wear a cross necklace every day.  The cross encompasses all the elements of Christian faith.  It signifies the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for me.  Jesus loves me, and he made a way for me to have a relationship with God.  In Jesus I find redemption, transformation and meaning. 

Before Jesus, the cross was only a symbol of torture and death.  But he transformed it into a symbol of victory and hope because he used it to pay for sin and bring the hope of reconciliation with God and new life for those who trust in him.

Some question the story of the cross -- the meaning of Jesus’ death and the reality of his resurrection.  The notion of sin itself offends many people, and a supernatural resurrection is ruled out as a possibility in a modern scientific culture.  Thus, the power of the cross as an icon is lost on many.