14 September 2011: The Triumph of the Cross

The public veneration of the Holy Cross dates from the 4th century. The Church commemorates the rescue of the true Cross of Christ by Emperor Heraclius in a victory over the Persians. Our Mother the Church sings of the triumph of the Holy Cross, the instrument of our salvation. In order to follow Christ, the Christian must take up his cross and become obedient with Christ, who was obedient until death, even death on the Cross. We are identified with Christ on the Cross. We become co-redeemers, sharing in Christ’s Cross.
Ref: Fr James Socias, ‘et al’ (Eds), “Daily Roman Missal”, 1989, p1635

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross
‘We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You, because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.’
We adore you, Jesus Christ! We bend our knees. We do not find enough words or gestures to express the veneration with which your Cross fills us, with which the gift of the Redemption penetrates us, offered to all mankind, to one and all, through the total and unconditional subjection of your will to the Will of the Father.
He revealed the Father’s love in his love. From the height of the cross he has the right to speak to people of all times and say, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (Jn 14:9).
Through his death, he revealed to us that there is Love in the world: ‘Love stronger than death ...’ He opened the way of hope to us. We desire, O Christ, to cry out to this merciful power, the greatest power and force upon which man can rely. Have pity.
Let the power of your love show itself again to be greater than the evil around us. Let it be shown to be greater than the many sins which usurp to themselves in ever more absolute ways public rights of citizenship in the life of men and society. May the power of your Cross, O Christ, be seen to be greater than the author of sin, “this world’s prince” (Jn 12:32). Through your Blood and Suffering you redeemed the world. Amen.
Ref: Cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, pp325-6

The origin of the feast day
Through the Passion of Our Lord, the Cross became a throne of glory not a gallows of infamy. How radiant is that precious Cross which brought us our salvation. Through the cross we are victorious. With the cross we shall reign. By the cross all evil is extinct. “Alleluia!” (“Liturgy of the Hours”, “Lauds prayer” )
This feast began in the first centuries of Christianity. Ancient evidence is it began when the Cross of Our Lord was found. (cf Egeria, “Journey”, Madrid 1980 ) Developing quickly in the Eastern Church, it soon spread throughout all Christendom. In Rome there was a solemn procession from the Basilica of St Mary Major to that of St John Lateran to venerate the Holy Cross before Mass. (cf A G Martimort, “The Church in prayer”, Barcelona 1987)
At the beginning of the seventh century the Persians ransacked Jerusalem. They destroyed many churches and seized sacred relics. Some years later Emperor Heraclius recovered them.
According to pious tradition, the monarch, dressed in full regalia, personally wanted to carry the Holy Cross to its original place on Calvary. The weight became increasingly unbearable as he walked on the ‘Via Dolorosa’.
The Bishop of Jerusalem, Zechariah, explained to him that to carry the Cross he must imitate the poverty of Christ, who bore it without any earthly attachment. Heraclius immediately removed his imperial garments and put on humble pilgrim’s clothes. He was then able to carry the Holy Cross to the summit of Golgotha. (cf P Croisset, “Christians”, Madrid 1846, VII)
Most probably as children, we learned to make the sign of the Cross on our forehead, lips and heart as an external sign of our profession of faith. The Church makes use of the Cross on its altars during worship for the Liturgy and outside, on sacred buildings, too.
As a ‘tree of the most savoury fruit’ it is a powerful weapon for warding off all kinds of evil, and especially for instilling fear in the spiritual foes of our salvation: ‘Lord, through the sign of the Holy Cross free us from our enemies’, we pray daily before blessing ourselves.
A Church Father teaches: “The Cross is a shield against the devil as well as a trophy of victory. It is the promise that we will not be overcome by the Angel of Death (Exod 9:12). The Cross is God’s instrument to lift up those who have fallen and to support those still on their feet fighting. It is a crutch for the crippled and a guide for the wayward. It is our constant goal as we advance, the very wellspring of our body and soul. It drives away all evils, annihilates sin and draws down for us abundant graces. This is indeed the seed of the Resurrection and the tree of eternal life.” (St John Damascene, “De fide orthodoxa”, IV, 11)
The Cross is present in our lives in different ways: through sickness, poverty, tiredness, pain, scorn, or loneliness. Although often hard to bear at times, it can become a source of purification, Life, and joy if embraced with love. Embracing the Cross should lead us never to complain when confronting difficulties, and even to thank God for the failures, suffering, and setbacks that purify us. Such adversities are additional occasions for drawing us closer to God.
St Paul frequently reminds us that tribulation is always brief and endurable. The prize for suffering out of love for Christ is eternal and satisfying. He even glories in them, considering himself blessed to be able to unite his own suffering to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Thus he helps bring the Lord’s Passion to completion for the good of the Church and of souls. (cf Rom 7:18; Gal 2:19-20; 6; 14; et seq)
We end this prayer with Our Lady: “Sorrowful Heart of Mary, pray for us. Invoke the Heart of Mary. Have the purpose and determination of uniting yourself to her sorrow in reparation for your sins and the sins of all men. Pray to her, for every soul, that her sorrow may increase in us our aversion from sin, and that we may be able to love the physical or moral suffering of each day as a means of expiation.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Furrow”, 258)
Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 7:140-42

• Dedication of Our Lady of Frontevrault, in Poitou, by Pope Calixtus II in the year 1129. — Gallia Christiana. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Our Lady of Fontevrault (France). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady of Einsiedeln. Switzerland. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html) (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (http://mariedenazareth.com)