On Wednesday, the Orthodox Church of the Elder Tradition commemorated the event that embraces three important happenings.. (1) The finding of the Cross by Roman Empress St. Helen in 326 AD (2) The reclaiming of the Cross by the Byzantine Military in 627 AD from when the Persians sacked Jerusalem in 614 AD and took it as a victory prize in terms of blasphemy.
(3) The triumphant return of the Cross to Jerusalem by Emperor Heraclius and the actual elevation served by Patriarch Zacharios in the Church of the Resurrection in 630 AD.
The cross (Christ Crucified) in which the Apostle Paul preached to the Church in Corinth in his first Epistle 1Cor 1-23 as a stumbling block (impossible for the Messiah to be killed) to the Jews (people of the old covenant) and folly (impossible for the divine to succumb death) to the gentiles (people not of the faith).
Unfortunately, the reality is that the Cross (Jesus Christ ) has become a scandal (a laugh and shameful to profess) to his own people - the people of the cross; the people who have been baptized with His name in the form of this sign (the cross). How many times do we hear His name (Jesus Christ) blasphemed, mocked, and ridiculed on TV, and when people crack the shits so to speak; this is very sad and a reflection that we have failed by how we live, preach and act.
The crucifixion: We all know the account which has left a profound imprint on humanity……..undoubtedly most of us have encountered crosses in various places along roadsides; automatically we say to ourselves “something tragic happened here – someone or various people have lost their life in this particular spot!” Hence, the cross which began as an instrument of torture has become the insignia of death and its hold over creation.
Unfortunately we are drifting way from our faith – our apostolic heritage, and replacing it with various temporary alternatives which society and peer group pressure fathoms……! We now tend to believe in good luck rather than grace, in fate rather than the freedom of conscience given us by the giver of life and source of all blessings! A perfect example of this is found in the phrase “touch wood!” We have truly lost the origins of this notion which is used as a talisman so to speak against any negative occurrence; “what are its origins?”
On Great, Good and Holy Friday, we come to church to TOUCH the wood of the cross….to KISS the wood of the cross, to VENERATE the wood of the cross; this very wood which begun as the instrument of torture and death has become the means of redemption and hope for those who were lost but now have been reclaimed by love personified who shed his blood in the assurance that through his wounds we find strength and are healed. Thus, the cross is our story, our glory, and our song and as a holy people via the baptism we have received we cry out in hymnody and sing: “sweetest wood, and sweetest nails, sweetest weight is hung on thee!”
Therefore, in this great commemoration, we ask the Lord to keep us from all evil especially evil personified. Hence, we remember that Christ has triumphed over evil and that we shall be victorious for divine love personified came to embrace our fragility and raised us up anew. In conclusion, with the Church universal (Katholic) we join in hymnody and pray:
Lord Jesus Christ, you have come to save your people; the heritage the Father has blessed and given you as your own. You have granted victory to your people by the annihilation of spiritual Death which is destroyed by your Mortal Death. Therefore, joy has poured out into the world - and thy Church proclaims to the world: "God the Son has endured all bitter pain and final agony in his great love for us through the wood of the Cross which is our shield, protection and strength!"
Through the prayers of the Apostles who went abroad and educated the people in things holy and spiritual, may God grant us the grace to re-evangelize (re-educate) the Evangelized (the so called believers)
In Christ and his Holy Apostles,
+ Raffaele
Archbishop and Exarch.
Comments