The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, is an opportunity to affirm the fact that the sign of suffering has become, through Christ, a sign of hope. As we hear in the Gospel assigned to this feast (John 3:16–17): “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” This is at the heart of the recovery journey: the cross meets us in the depths of addiction, pain, and brokenness, not to shame us, but to bring healing, freedom, and new life. September, as National Recovery Month, reminds us that God’s grace is powerful enough to break chains, whether of substance abuse, compulsions, or despair. The sacraments play a fundamental role in this experience of liberation. Through the cross, our wounds can become places where His mercy pours out. As a community of faith, we are called to stand with those seeking recovery, to be signs of hope, and to remind them that, in Christ, no suffering or sin is beyond redemption.