Feast of the Exaltation
of the Holy Cross
(Numbers 21:4b-9; Philippians 2:6-11; John 3:13-17)
One of the earliest poems in the English language is a
reflection on the Holy Cross. In “The
Dream of the Rood” the rood is a pole or a cross. The poem describes the
trajectory of its existence. It was once
a tree before being cut down and formed into an instrument of death. Brought to Calvary, the rood realized that it
was being embraced by Jesus and so would suffer with him. In the end the rood was adorned with precious
stones where the Savior’s body had been attached. The story is a kind of personal remembrance of
today’s second reading.
The passage from the Letter to the Philippians is believed to have originated
as a hymn sung by early Christians. It
was adopted by Paul for his lesson on humility and obedience. The Son,
Christ Jesus, was always God, but at the Father’s command humbled himself to be
born as human. On earth he continued in
obedience in order to fulfill his Father’s will to redeem humanity from sin. He was crucified, but death was not the last
word about his mission. God raised him
up so that he might be adored and worshiped.
Both “The Dream of the Rood” and the Letter to the Philippians
encourage us to suffer with Christ. Catholics
today are facing ridicule for continuing as members of a Church whose leaders
have sometimes sinned. We can accept the
humiliation as a way of participating in the Savior’s crucifixion. Our comfort is to know that following Christ, we will come to his glory.
