The Joy of the Crucifix on Catholic Sistas

A few weeks ago I realized that my April post for Catholic Sistas was going to fall on Good Friday. I debated doing a reflective post on the importance of the day or keeping it simple with a short prayer and some art work of the Crucifixion.

Then I decided that I wanted to write a post on the importance of the crucifix for Catholics. While some Protestant denominations do use the crucifix in their churches, a large portion of them do not. The crucifix seems to be much more common in Catholic Churches (both Western and Eastern, though I learned there are some differences). I was very interested in this topic and was fascinated by some of what I was reading. But, formulating something still wasn't coming to me.

I sat down to write, because I couldn't put it off any longer (pesky deadlines), still thinking I was going to write something about the crucifix and why it is so commonly used by Catholics, and instead this story came out.

We turned off the windy country road onto a gravel drive. As we started up the hill I looked around at my surroundings. I would be spending the next three days at this retreat center. The driver was telling us about the old retreat center across the road. But I had stopped listening as I noticed a large crucifix at the top of the hill ahead of us.

This was my first impression of the retreat center. As we ascended the hill, the life-size crucifix dominated the view in front of us. Only once we turned the corner did I notice the retreat center and the other people arriving.

It always amazes me how the Holy Spirit works. Apparently this is the story I was meant to tell today. Read the rest of it here: The Joy of the Crucifix.