The Mystery of the Holy Cross
Reflection on John 3:13–17
Each year on September 14, the Church pauses to celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross—a solemn reminder that at the center of our faith stands not an abstract idea, but a wooden cross, the very instrument through which salvation was won for us.
The roots of this feast stretch deep into history. In AD 326, St. Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, discovered the True Cross and enshrined it in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, consecrated on this very day in AD 335. Centuries later, in AD 630, Emperor Heraclius II returned the Cross to Jerusalem after it had been seized by the Persians, restoring it once more as the sign of victory and hope for Christians everywhere. These milestones remind us that the Cross is not a mere relic of the past, but a living witness to Christ’s triumph over sin and death.
To exalt the Cross is not only to honor the wood upon which Christ hung, but to lift up in our lives what it represents—love, sacrifice, and redemption. Every time we forgive when wronged, endure trials with patience, or choose humility over pride, we “exalt” the Cross in daily life.
Jesus said to Nicodemus:
"No one has gone up to heaven
except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. 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."
John 3:13-17
In today’s Gospel, Jesus recalls the moment when Moses lifted up the bronze serpent in the desert so that those bitten by serpents might live. “So must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life” (Jn 3:14–15). Here we encounter the paradox of our faith: what once was a sign of defeat becomes the very throne of glory. The Cross is no longer a symbol of shame but the bridge that unites heaven and earth.
A Message from Our Pastor
Father Emmanuel reminds us that the Cross is the school of love. In a world that often seeks shortcuts, comfort, and avoidance of sacrifice, the Cross stands as God’s unshakable truth: love is not proven in self-preservation but in self-giving. To follow Christ is to embrace this way of love, even when it is costly.
For the weary, the Cross is a beacon of hope. For the brokenhearted, it is a source of healing. For those burdened by suffering, it is a sign of God’s abiding presence. Each time we make the Sign of the Cross, we profess not only our faith in Christ’s victory but also our willingness to walk in His way.
To exalt the Cross, then, is not only to venerate it in our liturgy but to live it—in patience, generosity, forgiveness, and trust. It is to recognize that in the Cross lies both the cost and the crown of discipleship.