Hill of Crosses

 

Hill of Crosses          

There is a place of peace, rich in symbolism and hope, steeped in perseverance and prayer in northern Lithuania that I was privileged to visit this past October.  It is known as the Hill of Crosses.  Pilgrims and locals have been visiting this place for more than a century; many place their own cross among the hundreds of thousands already there.  The place has much to teach us, to show us, and to remind us of concerning God’s heart and the human heart.

There is no greater symbol of the love of God for us, His creatures, than the cross.  All-knowing, All-seeing, He undoubtably knew that we would fall from His peace even before He created us.  But He created us anyway.  He created us anyway because love craves the beloved.  He desired for His love to pour out on us, even in our inevitable weakness.  Love loves.  That is its very nature, it’s substance.  Such is the heart of God.

It could only be in His perfect love that He could have imagined that instead of our weakness being the cause of our utter destruction, He used our weakness, our mistrust, our envy, our fear of Him as the very means of the outpouring of His love on us.  This is why the Catechism of the Catholic Church in paragraph 1847 states: "God created us without us: but he did not will to save us without us”.  The cross has been proven to be undefeatable. 

So, it is not surprising really, to learn that the Hill of Crosses has been undefeatable.  The placing of crosses on this site began over a century ago.  It has stood for different things for different people.  But the cross, and this particular hillside truly galvanized hearts during the post World War II oppression by the Soviet Union.  Although religion was never formerly outlawed, it was certainly discouraged.  And yet, people of faith, people in desperate need of faith, filled this hillside with crosses. 

Three times, the communist government bulldozed the crosses.  KGB set up guards.  The access roads were blocked.  But each time the crosses reappeared.  People risked persecution to again plant crosses on the hillside.  Does it surprise you that the cross was ultimately victorious?  The site is now a major pilgrimage destination.

Because the cross is love, one cannot walk up the Hill of Crosses without feeling the weight of the crosses planted there.  Jesus said that we must each pick up our cross and follow Him.  And so the weight of the social struggles against tyranny, the personal struggles against sin, illness, loss, rejection, doubt, addiction, every sort of need for physical, mental and spiritual healing is palpable.  You feel the pain of those who have planted those crosses because the cross calls you into love for others.

In the midst of all of that pain, the cross still stands.  It is the only refuge in this world.  It is, as St. Catherine of Sienna said, the only bridge between Heaven and earth.  To cross that bridge you must find it in your heart to forgive, because the cross is mercy itself.  Leave your pain behind with the cross that you planted on the hill.    

I take great solace that Jesus did not carry His cross alone.  Simon of Cyrene was forced into helping Jesus.  Even though he did not wish to be there, I think Jesus was grateful.  What an amazingly perfect image of His heart and our heart.  And yet He is grateful.

His Peace <><

Deacon Dan