Cardinal Charles Maung Bo of Myanmar encouraged the Catholic faithful to “gaze upon” the Cross as a source of forgiveness and healing.
In his homily during the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross last week, the prelate said the Catholic faith is “not a journey of perpetual suffering but a transformative journey”.
“We stand here seeking healing—for personal wounds, historical wounds, wounds of injustice, and wounds of hatred. May the healing flow like a soothing stream from the Cross,” he said.
Cardinal Bo led the celebration on the top of Alam Udang Bum mountain in the Diocese of Myitkyina in Myanmar with more than 30,000 attendees.
The prelate and other religious leaders trekked for at least three hours to the top of the mountain. He was accompanied by Msgr. Andrea Ferrante, Charge’d’ Affaires of the Holy See, retired Bishop Francis Daw Tang, and Bishop Noel Saw Naw Aye, auxiliary bishop of Yangon.
Cardinal Bo described the mountain as a metaphor for the trials and triumphs of human life, emphasizing that the wounds of Jesus serve as a source of healing for all who seek His grace and mercy.
The prelate drew parallels between mountains in the Bible and their role in human encounters with the Divine.
He highlighted the biblical significance of mountains, from Mount Sinai to Mount Calvary, as settings for “pivotal moments” in the journey of faith.
Cardinal Bo stressed the symbolism of the Cross as a bridge between humanity and God, with its vertical and horizontal beams forming a junction of God and humanity.
“The Cross serves as a bridge—Jesus constructed a bridge to God through His Cross, uniting humanity with the Father and heaven, reconciling our brokenness,” he said.
The cardinal noted that humanity’s story began in the Garden of Eden, marked by disobedience and sin.
In contrast, Jesus, often referred to as the Second Adam, redeemed humanity through the Tree of the Cross, bringing healing, reconciliation, and salvation—an especially poignant message for a region that had witnessed its share of suffering and conflict.
“The first tree, the Tree of Life, brought death and damnation; the second tree, the Cross, brought life out of death, healing out of wounds, and reconciliation out of hatred,” said Cardinal Bo.
