The Crucifix of Saint Josemaría: Symbolism and Devotion in The Way of the Cross

As we approach the Lenten season, my heart is always drawn towards the writings of St. Josemaria Escriva. If you are like me, you came to know of St. Josemaria Escriva through the 2011 film, There Be Dragons. The film left much to be desired, but it left me with a mission to learn more about the saint and the writings that were an inspiration for so many. Thank God it did, because the writings began a life-long love for the saint.

His books, The Way, The Furrow, and The Forge are compiled in a collection of short quotes and arranged by topic. For example, if I am feeling unmotivated, I can turn to the chapter “Work” found in The Forge and read the selected quotations in that section. They are short so I can read selections during the workday or right before bed. 

While the pithy sayings are a simple way to reorient myself during the day, St. Josemaria Escriva’s devotion to the Cross is haunting in its simplicity. In the season of Lent, he provides an adept yet profound mystery to reflect on.

The Simple Wooden Cross

Plain wooden crosses have a distinct Protestant feel to them. Growing up Catholic, a cross without a corpus seems bare. In fact, you may be hard-pressed to find a church or a Catholic home without a crucifix. I was surprised when St. Josemaria Escriva expressed his deep love for these types of crosses. 

St. Josemaría Escrivá's perspective on the significance of the simple wooden cross diverges from the Protestant interpretation, emphasizing not only the crucifixion but also the personal and transformative nature of carrying one's daily crosses. In 178 and 277 of The Way, he says:

"When you see a poor wooden Cross, alone, uncared-for, and of no value… and without its Crucified, don’t forget that that Cross is your Cross: the Cross of each day, the hidden Cross, without splendour (sic) or consolation…, the Cross which is awaiting the Crucified it lacks: and that Crucified must be you."

"You ask me: why that wooden Cross? — And I copy from a letter: ‘As I look up from the microscope, my sight comes to rest on the cross — black and empty. That Cross without its Crucified is a symbol. It has a meaning which others cannot see. And though I am tired out and on the point of abandoning the job, I once again bring my eyes to the lens and continue: for the lonely Cross is calling for a pair of shoulders to bear it.’"

The empty cross is not Christ’s cross, the empty cross is yours.

An Invitation to More

St. Josemaría invites us to contemplate a humble wooden cross, not as a mere symbol of resurrection, but as a representation of the challenges and burdens individuals face in their daily lives.

For St. Josemaría, the solitary and seemingly insignificant wooden cross symbolizes the unnoticed and uncelebrated crosses that people bear each day. "{A]lone, uncared-for, and of no value," this portrayal highlights the common, everyday struggles that may lack grandeur or acknowledgment but are nonetheless integral to one's spiritual journey. The cross is depicted as waiting for its Crucified, and St. Josemaría asserts that each person is called to be that Crucified — to embrace their challenges, sufferings, and responsibilities willingly.

The metaphorical significance deepens as St. Josemaría recounts how his cross, devoid of its Crucified, becomes a powerful symbol with a hidden meaning that transcends the visible. St. Josemaría draws a parallel between the lonely cross and the challenges faced in daily life, suggesting that these difficulties call for individuals to bear them with the same devotion and purpose as the Crucified. The call to continue, even when tired and on the verge of abandonment, emphasizes the endurance required to carry the crosses of life, as the lonely cross beckons for a pair of shoulders to bear it.

Take Up Your Cross

As St. Josemaria wrote in his meditations on the Stations of the Cross (The Way of the Cross):

“So much do I love Christ on the Cross that every crucifix is like a loving reproach from my God: ‘…I suffering, and you… a coward. I loving you, and you forgetting me. I begging you, and you… denying me. I, here, with arms wide open as an Eternal Priest, suffering all that can be suffered for love of you… and you complain at the slightest misunderstanding, over the tiniest humiliation…'”

In essence, St. Josemaría's perspective invites contemplation on the personal and transformative dimensions of embracing life's challenges. The wooden cross, in his teachings, serves as a powerful reminder that each individual's daily struggles are not merely burdens to be endured but opportunities for spiritual growth, echoing the Christian call to take up one's cross and follow Christ.