Sunday after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Octoechos, Tone 5; Holy Great-Martyr Nicetas (374)
Read
Galatians 2:16-20; Mark 8:34-9:1
Why do we exalt and venerate the Cross of our Lord? We certainly do recall the historical event of Helena finding the Cross near Jerusalem in the mid-fourth century. More importantly, we exalt the Cross (that is, we literally lift the Cross up high near the end of Matins on September 14) and venerate the Cross (for an entire week) because of what it symbolizes for us and its role in our salvation. The Cross is folly to the world because it is simply an instrument of a torturous death. The Romans had perfected this. The Cross. However, is our wisdom as St. Paul suggests because it not only shows us great love but becomes the path for us to love unto salvation.
It is on the Cross that our Lord hung out of love for us. True love, that of God toward all humanity, and even that among us—all people of all generations—will always have sacrifice and, with that, pain and suffering. We have seen this from our Lord (see yesterday’s Gospel), and we see it in families, among lovers, even among nations. We cannot escape this.
However, we often try to escape the Cross. We often try to put down the Cross, the cross that the Lord has allowed to be carried by us. We find all sorts of excuses to not lift it up or to lay it down because we want to flee from pain and suffering, from sacrifice. We simply choose the pleasures of this world. But what will that do for us in purifying the great gift of love that we so desperately want to give and so desperately want to receive? Nothing. This is folly.
The Gospel reading we hear today, the words of our Lord that take into our minds and hearts, make it very clear to us—choose to put your gaze not on yourself but on others (and by doing so, on the Lord), embrace the pain and suffering that comes with the cross. This sacrifice will purify the love you have to give and the manner in which you receive love. In this way, we not only exalt the Cross in our minds and hearts, but we also follow, like true disciples, in the footsteps of our Lord and His sacrifice … unto salvation. May He grant us mercy and courage in this endeavour.