Easter is this weekend!  Are you looking forward to it?  Have you ever wondered when the cross shifted from a symbol of condemnation to a symbol of hope?  I know that the death of Jesus on the cross is the point that mankind’s penalty of sin was forgiven for all who believe.  But when did the cross become such a treasured remembrance among the world of believers?  I ran across a devotional that gave some direction to the beginning. It is believed that a mother started it all.  Helena the mother of emperor Constantine was given the challenge to discover religious relics that would ignite passion in the people as they spread the gospel. The time was the fourth century and it is believed that Helena was brought to the location of where the 3 crosses where buried.  The discovery happened after Helena has a pagan temple destroyed on the holy site and a Christian temple built.  During the excavation the 3 crosses were discovered.  Rumor has it that a terminally ill lady from the community came to the area and touched all 3 crosses.  The first 2 she touched did not cause any change, but the third one she touched miraculously healed her body of her sickness.  Seeing this, Helena had that cross broken into splinters and miniature crosses to be spread all over the country and to awareness to the gospel of Jesus Christ.  As this effort ignited passion in Christians, the cross became a symbol of hope for the rest of eternity.  Just something to think about as Easter approaches! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helena_(empress)