From our Pastor’s Desk

Dear Family:

Today, we are celebrating the Feast of the "Triumph of the Cross." This liturgical Feast, formally known as the "Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross," honors the work of Christ.

According to Church documents, this Feast been celebrated since the early days of the Catholic Church. In regard to the Holy Cross itself, when the Body of Jesus was removed from it, to prevent His followers from finding it, the Cross was thrown in a ditch or well, and then covered with stones and earth.

In 312 A.D., while Constantine the Great, who had not yet converted to Christianity, was in combat with Maxentius for the throne of the Roman Empire, he prayed to the Lord God of the Christians to help him in his battle. In answer to his prayer, a sign appeared in the sky. A luminous cross was seen with the words "In hoc signo vinces” (in this sign you will conquer) inscribed on it. Following this, Constantine won the battle over Maxentius. Indebted to God for his victory at the Milvian Bridge on October 28, 312, Constantine commanded that the Sign of Christianity be placed on the Roman standards and on the shields of all the soldiers.

Then, on September 14, 326, St. Helena found in Jerusalem the True Cross on which Jesus was crucified. To commemorate the finding of the Holy Cross, Constantine dedicated two Churches upon Calvary, "Anastasis" and "Golgotha," both within the precincts of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Beginning in those days, the Feast of the "Exaltation of the Holy Cross" was commemorated annually on May 3rd.

In 614, Chosroes II, the King of Persia, invaded Syria and Palestine, at which time he carried away many of the great treasures of Jerusalem, including the relic of the True Cross. In 629, Emperor Heraclius of Constantinople marched into Persia and recapture the True Cross, seeing to it that Heraclius piously brought it back to Jerusalem, while being clothed in sackcloth of penance and barefoot. On September 14th, the Sacred Cross was restored to its place in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. To commemorate this victory, in the 7th century, the Church of Rome adopted the "Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross" on September 14th.

One may wonder, why do we give so much honor to the Holy Cross? Over and above being the symbol of Christianity, the Holy Cross brings to light many fundamental truths that are being taught by the Holy Catholic Church. First of all, the Lord Jesus in whom the fullness of God was pleased to dwell bodily (Col. 1:19, 2:9), did not regard Himself equal with God during the incarnation. Setting aside His infinite power, He took upon Himself the human nature and humbled Himself in full obedience to the heavenly Father, even to His death on the Cross. Through His perfect sacrifice as the Lamb of God, He was exalted and given the Most Holy Name that is above all names so that at the Name of Jesus, every knee should bend in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth, that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Because of this, the Holy Cross is the symbol of Divine Love. For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. The Holy Cross is the symbol of salvation. Through Jesus Christ and the Sacrament of Baptism, those who believe in Him and obey His teachings, they will enjoy eternal life in the Kingdom of God. The Holy Cross is the symbol of Divine compassion. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but to save the world through Jesus. All of this was foreshadowed in the days of Moses. When God's chosen people became impatient in the desert and spoke against God and Moses, the Lord sent poisonous serpents among them. Many of the Israelites died when they were bitten by these serpents. In Divine love and compassion that embraces forgiveness, the Lord God told Moses to make a serpent of bronze and to put it upon a pole. Whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live, this being a prophetic picture of salvation through living faith in Christ.

The history of the Holy Cross, its recapture in 629 A.D., reveals to us the Divine power of God that is behind this most Sacred object on which the Blood of Christ was shed for the sins of mankind. While there are many religions in the world and our separated brothers and sisters do not see eye-to-eye with the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church, there is one thing upon which all these religions agree. All of them believe that salvation comes through the Blood of Jesus that was shed on the Holy Cross. All honor the Holy Cross as being a most Sacred object. If one was to try and find a Christian religion that does not have the Holy Cross as its symbol of faith, he would be facing an impossible task.

Everywhere we look, the symbol of the Holy Cross is present to remind us of the infinite sacrifice that the Lord Jesus made for our redemption. The sign of the Cross is found in Sacred Liturgy. The Cross is in all Christian festivals. It is in the Rite of Adoration. It is the symbol of blessing. It is found in the dedication of Churches, in Schools, homes, Hospitals, Seminaries, Convents, Religious Order, Crusades and even in cemeteries. The cross has so many meanings both to Christians and non-Christians. For Christians alone, it is a sign of inhumanity by man, humanity of God, love, sacrifice, justice, and obedience. This feast may refer to the triumph of the Christian Faith, symbolized by the cross. It is not the cross itself which is exalted but the saving action of Jesus through the cross. That which was a symbol of absurdity, scandal, pain, and death, had become the central symbol of the Christian Faith because of the meaning Jesus gave to it. Jesus changed the meaning of the cross.

The cross has become life to every Christian. When Jesus chose to die on the cross, He put an end to death and let eternal life enter. Salvation, through the cross, became the greatest irony in human history. That which was the place of death to many had become a source of new life to many. Today’s feast is not a mere remembering or reenactment of how Jesus gave meaning to the cross. This feast is a reminder that we have our own crosses to carry and die on. The true follower of Jesus knows his fate. Today, as we continue with the celebration of the Holy Mass, let us look up to the Holy Cross as our symbol of faith and salvation. Let us always honor the work of Christ that was manifested through the Holy Cross, the true symbol of love, compassion and forgiveness.

Nonetheless, Jesus Christ is Risen! He is alive; He is among us always. His presence in the Perpetual Adoration Chapel is a reminder of His immense love for us as of His willingness to remain with us. He is Emmanuel, God with us. I encourage you to make your commitment to be a disciples of Christ a reality, something sure and tangible. He waits for us in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, because He wants to also be our friend; he is already our Lord and Redeemer. Please be His friend by fully committing yourself to a Holy Hour. In His friendship we are One Body, One Spirit, One Family! Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Katharine Drexel, Saint Teresa of Avila, Saint Michael the Archangel, Pope Saint Pius X, St. Charbel and St. José Gregorio Hernández, pray for us.

Yours in Christ Jesus!
Fr. Omar