Not all crosses are the same. No, I am not referring to the fact that there are different shapes and types of crosses. What I am talking here is that not all crosses we see in different churches of various Christian denominations are the Holy Cross. The Holy Cross is the Crucifix, the Cross on which Jesus is crucified and lifted up. Bare empty cross in some churches are not Holy Cross as these are just crosses. They are merely symbolic objects.
And the Holy Cross is the True Cross, as well as,
the Victorious Cross, to be venerated and exalted, as we kneel before it and
confessing that Jesus is the Christ the Lord, because on this Cross, Jesus is
lifted up, before being lifted up from the tomb, and being lifted up from the
earth into heaven, leading us into the Kingdom.
It has been believed that St. Helena, the mother of
Emperor Constantine, who legalized Christianity throughout the Roman Empire
with the Edict of Milan in 313, found the Cross, on which Jesus was crucified
in Jerusalem. The discovery was September 14, 326. This prompted to venerate
the Holy Cross liturgically.
So, why the Church has been making such a big deal
about the Cross, on which Jesus was crucified? Some may ask if venerating the Cross
in exaltation would violate the mitzvah of prohibition of idolatry (Exodus
20:4-5) as the Cross is, after all, an object. If you also have asked this
question and wondered about venerating and exalting the Cross, then, I invite
you to read and reflectively ponder upon the Scripture texts for the Feast of
the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 14 (Numbers 21:4b-9; Psalm 78:1bc-2,
34-35, 36-37, 38; Philippians 2:6-11; John 3:13-17). Then, you realize that we
cannot truly worship, venerate, and exalt our Lord Jesus Christ without his
Cross. And, venerating and exalting a cross without Jesus on it is more like idolatry.
In putting the First Reading (Numbers 21:4b-9) and
the Gospel Reading (John 3:13-17) side by side, you see that Jesus made a
typological juxtaposition between Moses’ pole with a bronze seraph that saved
sinful Israelites upon repentance in the desert (Numbers 21:8-9) and the Cross
on which Christ is lifted up to save us for eternal life (John 3:14-15), as he
was speaking to on his need to be born again – to be born of water and the Holy
Spirit – to enter the Kingdom from which Jesus was sent to save those who come
into the light and live by the truth through him (John 3:1-20). And, how Jesus
saves us into eternal life? He saves us, giving eternal life, by being lifted
high up on the Cross (Crucifixion), as we believe in him (John 3:14) – so that
he is also lifted up from his tomb (Resurrection) and lifted up from earth to
heaven (Ascension).
Though repentant Israelites were saved from the
venom of snakes as they looked up Moses’ pole with a bronze seraph, they were
not saved into eternal life. In contrast, however, Jesus promised that everyone
who believes in him is saved as he is lifted up – first on the Cross, then from
his death, and from the earth into heaven.
Thus, the Cross on which Jesus is lifted up is the powerful symbol of
this promise of salvation for us by him. And for this reason, the Father in
heaven sent him out of His love (John 3:16-17).
This soteriological truth about Jesus being lifted
up on the Holy Cross (John 3:14-15), in comparison to the seraph put on Moses’
pole (Numbers 21:8-9), is juxtaposed to another truth that the Living Bread of
Life (John 6:51), which is the living flesh (sarx) of Jesus and therefore gives eternal life (John 6:53-54),
making us in full communion with him (John 6:56), but manna in the desert did
not give eternal life (John 6:49).
So, as repentant Israelites in the desert looked up
Moses’ pole with a seraph and were saved, we also look up the Holy Cross, on
which Jesus is lifted, not just to be saved temporarily but into eternal life.
But, we must truly believe in Jesus as the Christ the Lord.
Jesus being lifted up on the Holy Cross to give
those who believe in him eternal life, because he took the very nature of
servant an the likeness of humans, humbled himself for his obedient to the one
who sent him to the point of his death on the Cross, though he is of the divine
nature (Philippians 2:6-8). For this, God the Father who sent him exalted him
to the highest place, giving him the name above all names – so that all in
heaven and on earth bow down to him at his name and that every tongue confess
that Jesus Chris is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11).
Jesus being lifted high on the Cross is what makes
it worthy to exalt his Holy Cross, on which Jesus is crucified. And Jesus being
lifted up on the Holy Cross points to heaven, where he was lifted up
(Ascension), upon being lifted up on his Holy Cross (Crucifixion) and being
lifted up from his tomb (Resurrection).
First, God the Father exalted Jesus for his humility
and obedience (Philippians 2:9). And we venerate and exalt the Cross on which
Jesus is crucified, as the Holy and Victorious True Cross as Jesus has reminded
us that this is the symbolic reminder that he was sent by the Father to save us
into eternal life, because of God’s love.
The Cross on which Jesus is crucified symbolizes his
humility and obedience to the Father (Philippians 2:9). And to us, this is the
powerful symbolic reminder of his victory over death (1 Corinthians 15:54-58),
fulfilling Isaiah 25:8.
So, we are on our knees in front of Jesus being
lifted up on his Holy Victorious True Cross, confidently and resolvedly confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians
2:10-11).
And, “Do not
forget the works of the Lord and keep his commandments!” (Psalm 78:7) – the
works of Jesus that led him to be lifted up on the Holy Cross for our eternal
life in the Kingdom.
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