What was John the Baptist’s Life Like? - The Transfixion - Bk5 - Ch 21

The Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus of Ágreda describes how John the Baptist, having obtained great favors from the Blessed Virgin Mary, is informed by the Holy Spirit that the time has arrived to go forth on his public preaching.  Before leaving the desert, St. John sends his cross to Mary and the Blessed Virgin directly answers a question from Mary of Ágreda regarding veneration of the Cross prior to Christ's crucifixion saying, "...the Cross was ignominious before my Son and Lord honored and sanctified it by his Passion and Death and solely on account of this Passion and Death the adoration and reverence shown to it by the Church is now due to it. If anyone, who was ignorant of the mysteries, which were connected with it and which were so well known to me and saint John, would have given it such worship and honor as I have before the Redemption, he would have been guilty of error and idolatry; for he would have worshipped a creature of which he did not know that it was worthy of such honor. But we showed this veneration to the Cross for several reasons: We knew for certain, that the Redeemer was to accomplish his work upon the Cross; we knew also that, before dying upon it, He had begun to sanctify this sacred emblem by his contact in placing Himself upon it during his prayers and in offering Himself freely to die upon it."