The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Today September 14th, we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross commemorates the recovery of the true Cross of Christ by Emperor Heraclitus, following his victory over the Persians. Today’s feast as we heard from the readings, proclaims the Holy Cross of Jesus Christ as the instrument of our salvation and redemption.
In today’s first reading from the book of Numbers, we hear of how God punished the Israelites for murmuring against Him and His servant Moses when they encountered obstacles in the desert. Because of their complaints, God sent saraph serpents, which bit the people so that many of them died. Then the people came to Moses and asked for forgiveness for complaining against the Lord and Him. Then through the intercession of Moses and the use of a bronze snake mounted on a pole as instructed by God, which is a symbol of Christ on the cross, those bitten survived and lived.
Saint Paul, in his letter to the Philippians today’s second reading, goes on to remind us of the humility of Jesus Christ and how He emptied himself by taking our human form, and being obedient to His Father by dying on the cross to bring about our salvation. Then Jesus in today’s gospel reading, in his conversation with Nicodemus explains that 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. With these words, Jesus teaches us that the path to holiness and salvation passes through the cross.
According to late Pope Francis my dear friends, when we look to the Cross where Jesus was nailed, we contemplate the sign of love, of the infinite love of God for each of us and the source of our salvation. The mercy of God, which embraces the whole world, springs from the Cross. Through the Cross of Christ the evil one is overcome, death is defeated, life is given to us, and hope is restored. It is important to note that through the Cross of Christ, hope is restored to us. The Cross of Jesus is our one true hope! And that is why the Catholic Church “exalts” the Holy Cross, and why we Catholic Christians bless ourselves with the sign of the cross. Remember, we don’t just exalt crosses, but only the one glorious Cross of Christ, the sign of God’s immense love, the sign of our salvation and path toward the Resurrection. This is our hope!
So what exactly are the fruits of the Cross of Christ that we are called to exalt it as Catholic Christians? The fruits of the Holy Cross of Christ as as follows: Firstly, through the Cross of Christ, we discover that Jesus is ever present in our lives. This knowledge of Christ’s presence in our lives helps us to recognize Him in our daily struggles and challenges and to participate more actively in His suffering and death so as to attain the kingdom of heaven.
Secondly, the Cross of Christ is a great opportunity for our purification from sin, our detachment from the things of the world and an opportunity to increase in God’s grace in our lives.
Lastly, the Cross of Christ brings us joy and optimism during the most intense and difficult moments in our lives. It leads us to a deep appreciation of Christ’s suffering and death by creating a positive impact in our spiritual lives that draws us closer to God and unites us with Him.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, it was our sins that crucified our Lord on the cross, but through the grace of God, it was that same cross that brought us salvation and new life. So, let us embrace the crosses that come our way daily; and let us firmly hope and trust in God, because in Him and with Him, all our sufferings here on earth will finally lead us to the glory of heaven.
