THE EXALTATION OF THE CROSS Today, the universal church celebrates the FEAST OF THE EXALTATION OF THE CROSS; a feast that occurs every 14th day of September. All the readings in todays liturgy enlightens us about this feast. In the First Reading, we are presented with the punishment God inflicted on the people of Israel for murmuring against Moses and Him (Yahweh) when they encountered obstacles in the desert. God sent snakes that wrecked havoc on the Israelites. When they finally repented, the Lord told Moses: Make a fiery serpent and put it on a stand. If anyone is bitten and looks at it he shall live. So Moses fashioned a bronze serpent which he put on a stand (Num. 21:4-9). The bronze serpent was a symbol of Christ on the cross, since all who gazed at it with faith achieved salvation. In the Second Reading, St. Paul in his letter to the Philippians, tells them how Jesus who was in the form of God underwent the way of the cross: And being found in Human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross (Phil. 4:8). In the Gospel Reading, Jesus in his conversation with Nicodemus says: The Son of Man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life (Jn. 3:14-15). The cross which we exalt today was at the centre of the Life of Jesus throughout the course of his earthly ministry. Jesus was born in a manger (Lk. 2:7); after his baptism by John the Baptist in River Jordan, he was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness where he was tempted by the devil (Matt. 4:1-10). He was without Honour in his own country as His people rejected him (Matt. 13:57-58); He was betrayed by Judas Iscariot with a kiss (Lk. 22:48); He was denied by Peter three times (Mk. 14:66-72); He was struck by the servant of the High Priest (Jn. 18:22); He was crowned with thorns (Jn. 19:2); He was treated like a criminal as he was crucified among two thieves; while hanging on the cross the passer-by laughed at him saying : come down and save yourself (Matt. 27:40); He was given vinegar to drink (Matt. 27:34); His side was pierced with a lance (Jn. 19:34). All these happened to Jesus Christ and as his followers, we must unite our sufferings to that of Jesus by carrying our cross daily. As Christians, why do we Exalt the cross? We exalt the cross because of the many benefits it has for us. These benefits are: i) Our Redemption and Salvation is won: During the stations of the cross, the leader says: we adore you O Christ and we praise you and our response is: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. Also, during the veneration of the cross on Good Friday the minister says: Behold the wood of the cross, on which hung the saviour of the world. In the cross is our salvation as expressed in Latin - In cruce Salus. The evidence of this redemption and salvation won for us is seen in the expression of Jesus to the Good thief: This day you will be with me in paradise (Lk. 23:43). ii) Victory over death: The cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ broke the chains of death as St. Paul says: Death has no more power over him (Rom. 6:9). After the death of Jesus on the cross, the Christian faithful who dies passes from this life to a higher and a more glorious form of life. iii) Reconciliation with God: The crucifixion of Jesus brought reconciliation between God and man as St. Paul says: Those who use to be far off, have been brought close, by the blood of Christ. For he is the peace between us, and has made the two into one entity and broken down the barrier which use to keep them apart by destroying in his own person, that is the law of the commandment with its decrees. His purpose in this was, by restoring peace, to create a single man out of the two of them and through the CROSS, to reconcile them both to God in One body; in his own person he killed the hostility (Eph. 2:13-16) iv) Healing: The prophet Isaiah and St. Peter says: By his wounds you are healed (Is. 53:5; I Pet. 2:24). The cross brings healing. In the course of history, the empress of Rome, St. Helena in about 326 AD, discovered three crosses on Calvary. A miracle occurred when she touched the cripple with the three crosses and the cross that restored the cripple to health was identified as the cross on which the saviour died. v) Victory in Battle: No doubt that the cross brought victory over sin and death and also in the course of history, Constantine and his soldiers emerged victorious in battle when they inscribed the cross on their sword. This event marked a turning point in the life of Constantine. As we celebrate the feast of the exaltation of the cross, it is our earnest prayers that the power which comes from the cross will be of double cure for us, save us from our sins and make us whole. Amen
Posted on: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 07:14:07 +0000
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