Daily Prayer for Monday, September 14, 2026 titled: “The Saving Love Raised Up on the Wood”

Dear brothers and sisters, today we contemplate the deep mystery of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. God did not send His Son to condemn, but to heal our wounds and grant us eternal life. Let us be touched by His loving gaze which transforms every suffering into salvation.

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Lord Jesus, radiant face of the Father,
You who were lifted up on the Cross for our salvation.
Turn Your gaze of mercy upon our open wounds.

Teach us to contemplate Your tree of life.
Break within us the temptation of the poison of sin.
Grant healing to souls bitten by bitterness and mistrust.

Infinite mercy, who does not condemn but restores,
stretch out Your open arms over our daily existence.
Welcome the burdens we carry in the darkness of our hearts.

Holy Spirit, gift of the Crucified and Risen Lord,
kindle in our steps the longing for Heaven.
Make us capable of offering hope to those who suffer.

Holy Father, we believe in Your boundless love.
Preserve us in faithfulness to Your blessed Son.
May the Cross be our only pride and victory.

Amen.

Explanation

In His dialogue with Nicodemus (Jn 3:13-17), Jesus reveals the essence of His redeeming mission: the Father gives His only Son not to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. The lifting up of the bronze serpent in the desert foreshadows the Crucified Lord. The Cross, once a tool of shame, becomes the throne of mercy and the source of eternal life for all who believe. The Magisterium reminds us that salvation is a free gift of Trinitarian Love, embracing and transforming human weakness.

Practical Applications in Daily Life

1. Make the Sign of the Cross slowly and devoutly before starting your work.
2. Kiss the Crucifix in your home asking for the grace of inner healing.
3. Offer a small sacrifice or physical suffering for the salvation of sinners.
4. Refrain from any hasty judgment toward someone who makes a mistake.
5. Receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation to experience Christ’s saving embrace.

Questions for Personal or Group Reflection

1. Do I look at the Cross as a burden or as the supreme sign of God’s love?
2. Do I experience in my life the certainty of being loved rather than condemned?
3. How do I react to the ‘bites’ of daily disappointments and sufferings?
4. Am I ready to entrust my spiritual wounds to Jesus to receive healing?
5. In what way do I announce God’s mercy to those living beside me?