Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
In last Sunday’s gospel we heard Jesus say to the crowds that travelled with him, “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple” (Lk 14:27). Since the crucifixion of Christ, the cross has taken on many meanings. For us Christians, it is the primary symbol not only of Gods redeeming love but also of the cost of Christian discipleship. For this reason, the Church celebrates a feast titled, “Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.” This celebration is so significant in the liturgical calendar that if September 14 falls on a Sunday, it takes precedence over the regular Sunday scripture readings.
Today, I would like to explore the theological history of the cross, then provide a history of the Feast itself, and finally offer some practical implications.
A History of the Theology of the Cross
Broadly we can trace the theological history of the cross to the book of Genesis. After Cain killed Abel, God did not abandon Cain, rather, God still cared for him. As a sign, God put a “mark” on Cain to protect him from being killed in vengeance (Gen 4:15). We see such a “mark” also becoming a protective sign in the book of Exodus. The houses of the Hebrew slaves marked by the blood of the Passover lamb were spared by the angel of death (Ex 12:7).
The “mark” took a more prominent shape during the time of Prophet Ezekiel when people in society had largely abandoned the Covenant. In this context, God instructed Ezekiel to, "Go throughout the city, through Jerusalem, and put a “Tav” mark upon the foreheads of the people who lament Jerusalem’s abominations (Ezekiel 9:4). The Hebrew letter Tav (ת) is the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, meaning "mark" or "seal". Whereas in its modern form it looks like an ‘n’, in its ancient Hebrew form it resembled a cross (t). Once again, a cross shaped “mark” becomes a symbol of God’s fidelity and protection. This is truly significant, because soon the cross would have a more defined meaning in light of the coming of the Messiah.
Today’s first reading from the book of Numbers also is important in the development of a theology of the cross. When the people grumbled against God and Moses and seraph serpents appeared and bit the people and many died. But at God’s instruction, Moses fashioned a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole. Those who looked at the mounted bronze serpent lived. Later, Jesus himself would make a reference to the bronze serpent. In today’s gospel reading we hear him say, “And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life" (Jn 3:14). Of course, Jesus was predicting his crucifixion on the cross.
When the Roman conquered Palestine, though, the cross was turned cross into an instrument for capital punishment. It was used to torture and kill criminals, slaves, and those who challenged Roman authority. It symbolized extreme humiliation, suffering, and death. Crucified bodies would be often left on display as a gruesome warning to others. A symbol that once a mark of God’s protection became an instrument of torture.
But Christ’s crucifixion changed everything. Christ’s suffering and death on the cross transformed the Roman Empire’s instrument of torture into a symbol of human redemption. For Christians today, the cross is more than just a symbol. It is a sacramental “mark” of God’s love, mercy, and fidelity. As Jesus says in today’s gospel, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him might be saved” (Jn 3: 16).
The History of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross
The history of the feast to goes back to the early 4th Century. The year 312 AD is a watershed moment for Christianity. It was the year when Constantine became a Christian. After the conversion, his mother Helena made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 326 AD. It is believed that she discovered the True Cross, along with the tomb of Christ and the site of the crucifixion, which had been buried under a Roman temple. In commemoration of this discovery, Constantine built the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The church and the site were dedicated on September 13, 335 AD. The day following the dedication, September 14, was set aside for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
More profoundly, though, this feast is not just a celebration of a historical artifact. Rather, it "exalts" the Cross, recognizing it as a sacred object through which Christ conquered sin and death. Through Christ on the cross, God offered salvation and eternal life to humanity. The feast celebrates the Cross as a symbol of God's wisdom, hope, victory, and the universal work of redemption accomplished through Christ's sacrifice.
Practical Implications – “The Cross Carries You”
I want to begin the practical implications on today’s feast with a quote by Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa. He is a Franciscan Capuchin priest and was the papal household preacher Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict, and Pope Francis. He says, "It is no longer you who carry the cross; it is the cross that carries you; the cross does not crush but exalts you." It is a good way to reflect on what the Cross means for us. Let me explain.
Our Christian life begins at baptism. At the very beginning of the rite, before the water is poured on the forehead or the child is anointed with the scared oils, the minister marks the child with the sign of the cross on its forehead. The minister then invites the parents and godparents to do that same. With this begins the Christian journey. When this life ends on earth, once again, the last sign that is made over the casket is the sign of the cross. The cross carries us because at baptism and at our funeral we are marked by that sign that is the sign of salvation.
But not just our beginning and end, but out entire life is marked by the sign of the cross. My parents taught me as a child that the first thing I do when I wake up and the last thing I do before I lie down to sleep is the make the sign of the cross. By doing this each day we consecrate our waking and our sleeping, our day and our night, our work and our rest, our daily joys and our sorrows, our thoughts and activities to Jesus Christ.
We also remind ourselves that each time we enter and leave the Church, we dip our fingers in holy water and mark ourselves with the sign of the cross. In doing so we remind ourselves of our baptism, and that we belong to Christ. Just like in the book of Genesis, Exodus, and in Ezekiel, when we mark ourselves with the sign of the cross, we claim Christ’s protection over us. Yes, indeed the cross carries us!
But Christ invites us to carry the cross as well. As Christians, to mark ourselves with the sign of the cross also means that we stand for everything the cross stands for. We hear in today’s second reading that Jesus’ death on the cross was an exercise in humility, total selflessness and uncompromised obedience to God. Thus, by marking ourselves with the sign of the cross we consecrate our lives for the love of God and love of neighbour. It means wiping away our selfishness and self-centeredness; it means renouncing what is empty, renouncing prestige, and the longing to possess and to dominate others. To mark ourselves with the sign of the cross is to choose to be obedient to God. To mark ourselves with the sign of the cross is to free ourselves for Christ-like love. This is meaning of carrying the cross even as the cross carries us.
This Eucharist we celebrate is the fruit of the cross of Jesus Christ. The Last Supper which he celebrated with his disciples ended when he gave his Body and Blood on the Cross. Today, we exalt that cross which lead to Christ’s sacrifice and the means of our salvation. Amen.
- Fr. Satish Joseph