▁( 2 ) ▁the ▁increase ▁in ▁dev otion ▁to ▁the ▁E uchar ist ▁all ▁over ▁the ▁Catholic ▁world . ▁ ▁The ▁cross ▁and ▁mort ification ▁as ▁signs ▁of ▁contradiction ▁ ▁Ed ith ▁Stein , ▁called ▁the ▁Pat ron ▁of ▁Europe ▁by ▁John ▁Paul ▁II , ▁once ▁taught ▁on ▁the ▁day ▁of ▁the ▁Fe ast ▁of ▁the ▁Ex alt ation ▁of ▁the ▁Holy ▁Cross , ▁September ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 9 3 9 : ▁ ▁More ▁than ▁ever ▁the ▁cross ▁is ▁a ▁sign ▁of ▁contradiction . ▁The ▁follow ers ▁of ▁the ▁Ant ich rist ▁show ▁it ▁far ▁more ▁d ish on or ▁than ▁did ▁the ▁Pers ians ▁who ▁st ole ▁it . ▁They ▁des ec rate ▁the ▁images ▁of ▁the ▁Cross , ▁and ▁they ▁make ▁every ▁effort ▁to ▁te ar ▁the ▁cross ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁hearts ▁of ▁Christians . ▁All ▁too ▁often ▁they ▁have ▁succeeded ▁even ▁with ▁those ▁who , ▁like ▁us , ▁once ▁v owed ▁to ▁bear ▁Christ ' s ▁cross ▁after ▁him . ▁Therefore , ▁the ▁Sav ior ▁today ▁looks ▁at ▁us , ▁solemn ly ▁prob ing ▁us , ▁and ▁asks ▁each ▁one ▁of ▁us : ▁Will ▁you ▁remain ▁faithful ▁to ▁the ▁Cru c ified ? ▁Consider ▁carefully ! ▁The ▁world ▁is ▁in ▁fl ames , ▁the ▁battle ▁between ▁Christ ▁and ▁the ▁Ant ich rist ▁has ▁broken ▁into ▁the ▁open . ▁If ▁you ▁decide ▁for ▁Christ , ▁it ▁could ▁cost ▁you ▁your ▁life . ▁▁ ▁The ▁practice ▁of ▁mort ification , ▁a ▁way ▁of ▁following ▁Christ ' s ▁advice ▁to