My usual Saturday 6 am post is a reflection on some aspect of the gospel reading after a week of posts and commentary on the reading itself. Since tomorrow’s Sunday celebration is the Exaltation of the Cross (instead of the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time), I thought I might do something a little and explore the question I have been asked over the years by folks: Why did Jesus have to die?

At one time or another I think every believing Christian has asked that question. It is a question that is central to Christian theology and  has been thought about since the earliest days of the Church. It has also been written about by the Church patriarchs who have offered a range of perspectives often overlapping but emphasizing different aspects.