Looking "Behind" the Cross

Yesterday Fr. Cantalamessa had us continue to reflect upon the cross.  He says that we can look at the cross in two ways.  First, we see the glorious - the Resurrection, the cross surrounded by flowers, stars.  In this depiction there is no sign of pain or death.  Or we can focus on the suffering Christ - destroyed, disfigured.  But Fr. had us think "beyond" the cross.  He encouraged us to stand behind the cross and look outwards - onto what the cross has produced for the world.  We stand in front of the cross and ask, "why suffering, why tragedy."  But when we stand behind the cross we have a different viewpoint, a viewpoint that helps us look beyond this life into eternity.  The triumph of the cross over death.  By lifting up the cross, there is a healing process.  Cantalamessa utilized the Scripture reading from Numbers 21:9, Moses lifting up the bronze serpent for the people to see.  They had been bitten by the serpents, some died, others suffered but lived.  Now, with the serpent lifted up, they are able to see clearly through their suffering and pain to a world beyond.  So too, ourselves.  Sometimes the serpents of greed, envy, lust, passions, materialism hold us bound.  They are our modern day serpents.  But they are meant not to be an ending, but a beginning.  Through our suffering, through our weakness, we gaze upon the cross, the ultimate love of God poured out for us.  From this cross, comes our new life.  From this cross we arise.  Death does not have the final say.