Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Gospel reading for Feast of the Holy Cross: Luke 21:5-28

Gospel reading for 1st Sunday after Holy Cross: Mark 13:28-37

The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Cross on September 14^th. This is an important feast for Orthodox and Catholic Churches, and traces back to the ancient Christian days of St. Constantine and St Helen, and the discovery of the actual Cross that our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified.

The Gospel reading on the Sunday after that Feast is from Mark 13:28-37, and in this passage we hear the message very clearly – Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

Christ died on the Cross, rose from the dead and He ascended into Heaven. By His death, our death has been destroyed … we have eternal life.

The birth of Christ to Mother Mary, the Theotokos, the crucifixion of our Lord on the Cross, the glorious Resurrection, the establishment of the Church and the gift of the Holy Spirit … this is all part of the Divine Plan for eternal life, and is to be remembered on this Feast of the Cross.

As we read in 1 Corinthians 1:18 - “The message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to use who are being saved it is the power of God”. As Christians, we believe and confess that Christ did “trample death by death, ending this our death”, and our Salvation is the healing and restoration of mankind.

Eternal life - a beautiful gift, a mystery that one day will be known ... all part of God's Divine plan for his beloved creation. But … we also know Christ will come again, and this is the time when we experience the new life, our own resurrection.

Christ has died, Christ is Risen, Christ will come again.

From Mark 13:34 – “It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch. Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming .. lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I saw to you, I say to all – Watch!”

We don’t know when – only God the Father knows. But He will come. And the question is .. are we ready? Are we watching? Are we continuously living with “the mind of Christ”, as we heard in the Epistle reading of the day (1 Corinthians 2:10-16), or with the mind that is obsessed and worried with this world – our jobs, how to make more money, respect?

One of the Old Testament readings read before the Holy Qurbana is from the Psalms – Psalms 33 in the Orthodox Study Bible, 34 in the Hebrew: “I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Oh magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together”

This echoes the prayer during the the Holy Qurbana, where the priest (while praying on our behalf) says – “Make us worthy, O Lord, to offer you unceasing praise, glory and adoration and thanksgiving forever”.

Each of us must determine … is this our really our prayer? Is this what we are giving importance? Are we ALWAYS reflecting this in our thoughts, words and actions?

Today we remember the Feast of the Cross – each and every one here knows The Sign of the Cross (in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit).

The actions for the Sign of the Cross is simple … a test given to the Pre-Kindergarten class. But as we do this are we remembering the holiness of the Cross? Do we think on the depth of the mystery that this signifies … do we give Him praise, glory and adoration with this sign?

St. Cyril of Jerusalem says: “Let us not then be ashamed to confess the Crucified. Let the Cross be our seal made with boldness by our fingers on our brow and in everything; over the bread we eat, and the cups we drink; in our comings in, and goings out; before our sleep, when we lie down and when we awake; when we are on the way and when we are still. It is the Sign of the faithful, and the dread of evils; for He has triumphed over them in it, having made a mockery of them openly; for when they see the Cross, they are reminded of the Crucified; they are afraid of Him, Who has bruised the heads of the dragon.”

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Cross, but it should not be only once a year. Every day the simple sign of the Cross is a celebration, an exaltation … our way to honor the Lord for all that he has bestowed on us.

Another Church father, St. John Chrysostom teaches - "You should not just trace the cross with your finger but you should do it in faith”

Let the Cross protect us, the children of Light. Let the Cross lead and protect the Church always. Let us follow the Way of the Cross so that we may all attain eternal life.

Glory be to the Father who delivered the Son for our redemption. Adoration to the Son who died on the Cross and gave life to us all. Praise to the Spirit who began and fulfilled the mystery of our redemption. O Trinity, exalted above all, have mercy on us all! (from Prayer of Fraction that the priest silently prays during the Holy Qurbana)

Amen.