St. Paul of the Cross Monastery

A Sermon on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross

Homilist: Fr. Don Ware, C.P.

Updated September 2003
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What do today’s Scripture Readings from Exodus and John tell us?  If you look at the Cross in your time of need, God will help you…  Is this crazy or what?  What could it possibly mean to us?  After all, we’re 21st century people.  We have www.md.com in time of need.  We have our malls and all of our “stuff” to answer our needs. Does the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of Jesus have any meaning to us today?  Let’s look at this.

I  The Day after Calvary

First, let’s take a look at the Cross during it’s time…  What was it like the day after Calvary?  The day before the Resurrection of Jesus.  What did Calvary mean to Jesus friends and disciples the “Day after Calvary”?
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The day after Calvary,
Disheartened
Discouraged
Depressed
Were we
Who placed our hopes
Our dreams in him,
Who pledged our hearts
To him,
Who died on that tree.
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The day after Calvary,
Embarrassed
Dejected
And fearful
Were we
Who fled his side
And tried to hide
Our tears,
And fears
Of defeat.
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Who would deliver us now?
And how?
When all he promised…
The healings
The sharing
The excited crowds,
The caring…
All gone.
Defeated by death.
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And we cried.
“O Death!
Here is your victory!
Here is your sting!”
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Did you ever feel that way… seemingly defeated by the Powers of Death?

II     9/11 and the Powers of Death

Just this past week we as a nation took time to remember just such an experience of the Powers of Death…  our frightful experience of 9/11.  Where were you when the planes plowed into the Twin Trade Towers, the first plane crashing into the North Tower at 8:48 AM, Eastern Standard Time?  And what was your experience?
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So many Americans were stunned, frightened, shocked.  How could this happen?  We stared Evil in the face, and it was frightening.  Here were the Powers of Death, and they were mighty.  And we had no control over them – we couldn’t seem to grasp them – something very difficult for us “can do” Americans.
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Of course, let us not forget the aftermath of this tragedy, the courage and heroism of so many,
the compassion and care of the volunteers, how we Americans bonded together to console the victims’ families and pray for them, and for each other, and for our nation.
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But when we remember the day of 9/11 itself, We followers of Jesus perhaps can understand how the disciples of Jesus felt the Day after Calvary.

II  The Exaltation of the Cross of Jesus

Now when we look back at the Cross of Jesus we do so from a different point of view.  For we know that the Powers of Death could not hold Jesus, could not shackle Him, could not defeat Him. Jesus confronted evil and sin and suffering with love,
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Love conquered Hatred
Forgiveness triumphed over Vengeance
Hope overpowered Despair
Love endured cruelty and derision
Faithlessness and frailty
And emerged victorious…
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So much so that that early disciple of Jesus, St. Paul the Apostle, could cry…
O Death, where is your victory?
O Death, where is your sting?

III  What About Us?

What about us now?  Do the Powers of Death have any hold on you now?  These powers are all around us!
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A loved one suffering from alcohol or drug addiction;
The fear and stress accompanying the loss of a job;
A family member facing Cancer;
The frailty and diminishment facing the elderly…
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What do we do when we face such things?
Deny them?
Pretend they’re not there?
Push them ought of sight and not talk about them?
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Get depressed and disheartened
Angered and embittered
And resentful – full of resentment?
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Are we not like the disciples of Jesus, the day after Calvary, wondering how could this happen?  Why us?
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This is when we look at the Cross, and see that our God has been where we are, our God has suffered and has even faced death, and our God will stand by us as we face the Powers of Death.  Our God might not take away our suffering, after all, limitations, suffering, and frailty
seem to be written into our human sinful condition.  But the Powers of Death need not be victorious, for our God has faced them, and been victorious, and will strengthen us to face these Powers and to help each other in time of need and suffering, to console each other,
to be compassionate to each other, to show care and concern for each other.
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This is the meaning of the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross of Jesus.  This is what we celebrate today.  We turn to Christ’s Cross and see God’s victory over the Powers of Death.
We recognize  that God can help us as we face these Powers of Death. We also recognize immediately that we are meant to help each other face these Powers of Death. It seems that Jesus’ disciples have always done that, and so we encourage each other, have compassion on each other, care for each other, and in this way bring Jesus’ love to each other – that love which overcomes the very Powers of Death, seemingly so strong in our world. This is the meaning of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of Jesus.
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This is why we can sing…
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Only in God is my soul at rest
From him comes my salvation.
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