The month of September is dedicated to the Holy Cross, with the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 14. The Feast commemorates three historical events: the discovery of the True Cross in 326 AD, its initial exaltation for public veneration in 335 AD, and the recovery of the Cross from the Persians in 628 AD. Nowadays, this feast also celebrates the boundless impact of Christ’s Cross upon all of creation.
The Cross of Christ must permeate each one of us, transforming us and making us new. First and foremost, this happens when we open ourselves to the infinite mercy of God flowing from that selfless Sacrifice. It also occurs when we allow every one of our sufferings, the injustices we endure, the crosses, hardships, and most undesirable aspects of our lives to share in the redemptive power of Christ. We do this when we embrace Jesus’ commands to share in His sufferings, unite them with His own, and allow Him to bear an abundance of good fruit through us. “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24–25).
Prayer
Most glorious and triumphant Lord, You gave Your life for the salvation of my soul, using the most horrific act of cruelty as the means of Your redeeming grace. I open myself to that grace today and pray that You bestow it in superabundance. I also pray that I will have the courage and wisdom to embrace my crosses every day of my life, uniting them to Your Cross, and trusting that You will use these sacrifices as a means of the further bestowal of Your love on the world. Saving Cross of Christ, have mercy on me. Jesus, I trust in You.
Reflection taken from Saints and Feasts of the Liturgical Year by John Paul Thomas,, 2023
