Oct 14 Sat
On Sep 14, The Church commemorates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the recovery of the Holy Cross, which had been placed on Mount Calvary by St. Helena, and preserved in Jerusalem, but then had fallen into the hands of Chosroes, King of the Persians. The precious relic was recovered and returned to Jerusalem by Emperor Heraclius in 629.
Emperor Heraclius was carrying the Cross on his shoulders back to Jerusalem. He was clothed with costly garments and with ornaments of precious stones. But at the entrance to the city a strange incident occurred. Try as hard as he would, he could not go forward. Zacharias, the Bishop of Jerusalem, then said to the astonished monarch: “Consider, O Emperor, that with these triumphal ornaments you are far from resembling Jesus carrying His Cross.” The Emperor then put on a penitential garb and was able to continue the journey.
To follow Christ, we must take up His cross, step on his footprints, and become obedient until death, even if it means death on the cross. We identify with Christ on the Cross and become co-redeemers, sharing in His cross.
We must venerate more and more deeply the mystery of the Cross, to understand life; since the crucified Christ knew both the absolute joy of the beatific vision (He is God), and the full measure of human suffering.
Embracing the cross, we reach to understand that there is no opposition between faith and reason, but that one demands the other. Faith without reason withers into myth and superstition.
The Cross warns reason against a proud self-sufficiency, just as it warns faith against the decay happening once reason is abandoned.
The Cross turns charity into a blazing fire of compassion and self-sacrifice.
"The Cross on your chest? … Very good. But the Cross on your shoulders, the Cross in your flesh, the Cross in your mind. Only then will you live for Christ, with Christ and in Christ; only then will you be an apostle." St. Josemaría
We make the Sign of the Cross before prayer, which helps to fix our minds and hearts to God. After prayer, we resume our ordinary occupations; we make the Sign of the Cross to go on, close to God.
During trials and temptations, our strength and protection is the Sign of the Cross. At Baptism, we are sealed with the Sign of the Cross, signifying that the Cross has bought us back from the Devil, and that we belong to Christ.
Let us look to the cross frequently, find Mary there, and realize that when we make the Sign of the Cross, –like her– we give our entire self to God — mind, soul, heart, body, will, and thoughts.
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