Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Cycle A, Year II)
Community Word: Disciples of Christ who gather in His name love one another.
Theme: We love one another when we humble ourselves in obedience.
Promise: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (Jn 3:16)
Reflection:
How often do you make the sign of the cross in a day? For many of us, it’s the first thing we do in the morning on waking up, and the last thing we do at night before sleeping. We do it throughout the day before and after meals, before and after prayers, when there is imminent danger, like a major storm, or when we travel or are taken ill. Many go through the motion almost mechanically or habitually, without much thought and often, without reverence or devotion.
The cross is actually the symbol of salvation for all Catholics. On the cross, Jesus defeated sin, Satan and death. So the sign of the cross, if done properly is actually a powerful sacramental that can banish the devil, work miracles, and cure disease. It signifies our faith in the holy and undivided trinity of God and in the death and resurrection of our Lord. It reminds us that God loves us so much He gave himself up for our sake and suffered death on the Cross for our eternal redemption. The sign of the cross is the badge of faith that distinguishes the Christian and sets us apart. It is a declaration that we belong to Christ and that as His obedient followers we are willing to humbly embrace suffering. This is our theme for this week: We love one another when we humble ourselves in obedience.
This Sunday, we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. It commemorates the recovery of the Holy Cross during the 4th century by Saint Helena, the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, during a pilgrimage she made to Jerusalem. As the Catholic Church celebrates the triumph of the Cross, it is a good time for us to reflect on its significance. Although the resurrection is really the foundation of our faith, without the cross there would be no resurrection. In the first reading, when Moses lifted up the bronze serpent over the people, it foreshadowed the salvation earned for us by Jesus when He was lifted up on the Cross. As His followers, we identify with Christ on the Cross and become co-redeemers with him, even if it means dying to ourselves and to the sinful world in which we live.
In the second reading, Jesus exemplifies true humility and self-effacement. Through His suffering and death, we witness the emptying of self as expressed by Pope John Paul II in his homily in September 14, 2003, “Not only did Christ Jesus become man, in everything similar to human beings, but He took on the condition of a servant and humbled Himself even more by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8). “Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above all name, that the name of Jesus, every knee should bend….” (Phil 2:9)
And finally in the gospel, we find one of the most widely held scriptural verses, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life” (John 3:16). This is our promise for the week, a key verse on the victory of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. It sums up the extent of God’s love for humanity, in that He sent His only Son to redeem us, even at the cost of death on the cross.
In the cross, we see the unconditional love of Jesus undiminished by his suffering. He forgives those who mocked, tormented, and eventually killed Him. We are to emulate the pure love of Christ and extend the same kind of forgiveness to one another, even when we are persecuted, mocked, or ridiculed as we stand up for Him. This is what it means to belong to a “community of disciples inspired by the Holy Spirit to be living witnesses for transformation in Christ.” St. Teresa of Avila puts it well, “The cross is the greatest gift God could bestow on His Elect on earth. There is nothing so necessary, so beneficial, so sweet, or so glorious as to suffer something for Jesus. If you suffer as you ought, the cross will become a precious yoke that Jesus will carry with you.”
Prayer
Lord, we are sorry for the many times we make the sign of the cross without giving it due reverence. On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, we want to thank You for Your unconditional love for us, that You gave Your only Son Jesus to save us. In humble obedience, He suffered and died on the Cross, for our redemption. Today, full of gratitude, we offer You our love and commit to share with You Your sufferings and triumph on the Cross. In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Reflection Question:
1.What does the sign of the cross mean personally for you?
2.Identify areas in your life that needs to be crucified on the cross and surrendered to Jesus. Share experiences on how your personal suffering has transformed you.
This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
September 14, 2014 (Sun) Nm 21:4-9/Ps 78:1-2,34-35,36-37,38/Phil 2:6-11/Jn 3:13-17
September 15, 2014 (Mon) Heb 5:7-9/Ps 31:1-3,3-4,5-6,15-16,20/Jn 19:25-27
September 16, 2014 (Tues) 1Cor 23:12-14,27-31/Ps 100:1-2,3,4,5/Lk 7:11-17
September 17, 2014 (Wed) 1Cor 12:31-13:13/Ps 33:2-3,4-5,12,22/Lk 7:31-35
September 18, 2014 (Thurs) 1Cor 15:1-11/Ps 118:1-2,16-17,28/Lk 7:36-50
September 19, 2014 (Fri) 1Cor 15:12-20/Ps 17:16-7,8,15/Lk 8:1-3
September 20, 2014 (Sat) 1Cor 15:35-37,42-49/Ps 56:10-12,13-14/Lk 8:4-15
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”
Please download In PDF format.
