Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven columns …. she calls from the heights out over the city: “Let whoever is naive turn in here; to any who lack sense I say, Come, eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.”

When the priest elevates the Holy Cross on this feast, the first word he says is “Wisdom!” This is more than just a ritual instruction. We say “Wisdom” before a reading of Holy Scripture, before the words of God and before our profession of faith. It tells us: “Here is the true meaning of our faith, here is the understanding beyond comprehension of God’s creative love.”

In the Letter to the Corinthians read today, St. Paul tells us what God’s wisdom is: “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God …. we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” (1 Corinthians 1:18.25) With our human minds and powers we say that wisdom is in smarts, power is in strength, glory belongs to the strong. But to stand before the Cross in faith is to become aware of what fools we are.

God delights in true wisdom, in divine weakness and foolishness. St. James tells us, “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity. (James 3:17)”

Again, to the Philippians St. Paul says: “Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus … he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name. (Philippians 2:5-9)”

Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Today, September 14th is the commemoration of the Feast of the Exaltation (Discovery) of the Holy Cross.

From a discourse by the bishop St. Andrew of Crete, we learn:

We are celebrating the feast of the Cross,
which drives away darkness and brought in the light.
As we keep the feast,
we are lifted up with the crucified Christ,
leaving behind us earth and sin
so that we may gain the things above.
So great and outstanding a possession is the Cross
that he who wins it has won a treasure.
Rightly could I call this treasure the fairest of all fair things
and the costliest, in fact as well as in name,
for on it and through it and for its sake
the riches of salvation that had been lost
were restored to us…
And if you would understand that the cross is Christ’s triumph,
hear what He Himself also said:
“When I am lifted up,
then I will draw all men to Myself.”
Now you can see that the Cross is Christ’s glory and triumph.

Blessings for the feast, I hope you are celebrating!

The Sign of the Cross

Every time we sign ourselves with the holy Cross, saying “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” we profess that our salvation, accomplished on the cross by Jesus Christ, is the work of the Holy Trinity.

Christ Our Pascha, 626
(Catechism of the Ukrainian Catholic Church)

Exaltation of the Holy Cross 2019

Saturday, September 14, is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. It is a Fast Day with wine and oil permitted, so no meat, fish, eggs or dairy. Just a reminder. The faithful are obliged to attend the Divine Liturgy on the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The Divine Liturgy will be offered at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday. Blessed Feast!

Peace!