The old rugged cross, an absurdity, a paradox, an ancient torturous path of contradiction! In Adam, humanity died but in Christ, humanity was reborn through the old rugged cross. Out of death comes life and life is swallowed by death to be reborn once again.
Jesus loved his own who were in the world to the point of walking the horrifying path of contradiction, for without the shedding of blood, there would be no forgiveness (cf. Heb. 9:22). He humbly submitted to the shame of the cross because whoever truly loves must endure the old rugged cross. For love and sacrifice are inseparable, the reason the sufferings of Christ is described as “passion”.
The passion of Christ brought us life. This same passion is the force driving Christian martyrdom through which many souls have been brought from death to life in many parts of the world – the old rugged cross! Thus is the blood of martyrs the seed of the Christian faith. The martyrdom of Paul Miki and his 25 companions, who died by crucifixion and lancing on 5 February 1597, watered the seed of the gospel in Japan. It was a gruesome experience but a necessary process in the birth of the new age of grace in Japan. Paul Miki hoped that his martyrdom would bring salvation to many as he prayed before he was executed, “I hope my blood will fall on my fellow men as a fruitful rain” – the old rugged cross!
Japan
Today, there are around 1.9 million Christians, 1,235 Catholic priests and 34 bishops in Japan. This is one of the shinning examples of how millions of missionaries planted the seed of the gospel in many paths of the world by walking the path of the old rugged cross.
Another wonderful instance of giving life to many through the old rugged cross can be found in Nigeria. When the Irish missionaries came to the eastern part of Nigeria in the late 19th century to preach the gospel, they were confronted with so many difficulties. The mission area was at the heart of the tropical region. Temperature could be up to 42°C. The thick rain forests encouraged the breeding of mosquitoes, which were vectors for malaria parasites. There were many tropical diseases, which the missionaries had never known, and many more other harsh conditions they were not used to.
For these reasons, they suffered as men have rarely suffered for the spread of the faith and died in great numbers. While burying their dead colleagues, they prayed: “Accept, O Eternal Father, the sacrifice of the life of this our brother in Christ; the sacrifice of our lives too. But grant that over his bones and ours, a great Church will arise amidst the people whom we serve.”
Ireland to Nigeria
Surprisingly, as they suffered and died, many more missionaries continued to come from Ireland to Eastern Nigeria. Instead of spreading dread and aversion for this mission, the sufferings and death of the missionaries in Nigeria inspired in young Irish priests and religious the desire to go to Nigeria and plant the gospel. The old rugged cross!
Today, Eastern Nigeria boasts of a teeming population of Christians, a very large number of priests and religious, bishops and cardinals – out of death comes life! The old rugged cross is the only path to life. No wonder Jesus said, “unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (Jn. 12:24). So, do not quit, when the rugged cross confronts you. For there cannot be a crown without a cross.
