This week, we will celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. This Feast celebrates the anniversary of St. Helena (the mother of Emperor Constantine) finding the relics of the True Cross in the year 320, which was 1706 years ago.
For the earliest Christians, the Cross was a horrifying sight. It was an instrument of torture, humiliation, and death that was known all too well within the Roman Empire. Over time, it became a reminder of the sacrifice that our Savior made to reconcile humanity with God. These days, and perhaps this is a little cynical of me, I wonder how many people who wear little Cross pendants and jewelry truly know what that symbol means.
Jesus, our Savior, allowed himself to suffer the humiliation, torture, and death of the Cross for one reason: he loves us. Perhaps it’s more accurate to say that he has billions of reasons, though, because he loves every single human being enough to suffer in this way. God has infinite love, he never stops loving, and this is why he had to show us that there is nothing in this universe that will keep us away from him except for our own choice to turn away from him. God will destroy Death itself, he will conquer Sin, all so we can choose to be with him.
This is why we must join St. Paul in proclaiming that the name of Jesus is above every name, and at his name every knee must bend, on the earth, above the earth, and even under the earth, as they confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Fr. Matt