Come To The Cross

Seeking help from Jesus through the cross

In this Lenten season, Christians are asked to prepare themselves for Easter, celebrating Jesus Christ rising from the dead and declaring victory over sin and death. During this time, we are guided through the final days of Jesus's life here on earth and are reminded of his teachings. We are also reminded of the importance of the cross, both in the time of Jesus and in our lives.

The song "Come To The Cross" by Tom Booth reflects on the message and importance of the cross and how we are called by Jesus. Contemplating the lyrics of the first verse, one can imagine humbly and sorrowfully standing before the crucified Christ, asking for help. "Here I am, once again."

We all sin, and not just once, but repeatedly, and when we fall we go to Jesus; once again confessing our sins. Yes we are weak. Yes we are frequently lost, caught up in our worldly lives and losing sight of our goal of eternal life. The verse ends in a declaration of faith: "You're still the God of miracles." God can perform miracles on us, transforming our selfish lives to lives oriented toward heaven.

In the refrain, Tom explains how to be restored. We must come to the cross, the symbol of the ultimate humiliation and death in the time of Jesus, but our symbol of victory today. By giving up our egos and pride, we can gain back the grace and joy we have lost. The ever merciful God will take us back into his loving arms and dry our tears of sadness.

The way back to God may not be easy and may be painful, but the resultant joy of being in his presence will be worth any hardships we may have to endure. In the end, we must be truly sorry for our sins because they have hurt God, and we must sincerely ask for his forgiveness. We do this standing before the cross, seeing the suffering and pain Jesus suffered for our sins.

The lyrics of the second verse again remind us of our weaknesses. "I fall down so easily." How easy is it for us to be distracted from the kingdom of God? We seek power, money, and fame. We seek acceptance by our peers at the cost of our very souls. This has been true since the beginning.

St. Paul wrote that he does not do what he wants, but what he hates, since his body is carnal (Rom 7:14-25). This concupiscence afflicts all of us, and is the constant battle between our bodies and our spirits. Who will rescue me? Again St. Paul gives us the answer: Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom 7:25). Tom Booth reiterates this saving message in this second verse.

"Come To The Cross" sums up our lives and our weaknesses, as well as our hope and our path to victory. The only way we can reach heaven is by taking up our crosses, while we humble ourselves before the cross of Jesus.

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