The Exultation of the Holy Cross

We, here in 2018, are close to 2000 years removed from the days in which Jesus Christ, the Son of God, walked the face of the earth.  People who lived in the 10-20 years following his Death, Resurrection, and Ascension seemed to expect His return at any moment, despite Christ’s caution that we do not know the day nor the hour.  (Mark 13:32).  So, in the year 40, for example, they waited.  In the year 50, no return.  In the years 60, 70, 80, nothing.  They began to think that they should write down the teachings, the parables, and the events in his life so that people wouldn’t forget details and so that they could evangelize more effectively than relying solely on oral teachings.  We all believe that the Sacred Scriptures were then written by the evangelists, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, on parchment that was available at the time and preserved through the centuries.

But what about relics?  For example, the burial cloth.  Some believe that this was preserved over time and is on display today as the Shroud of Turin.  Or the tomb.  We believe that the tomb was “discovered” via excavation work.  Today, the “Church of the Holy Sepulchre” stands in Jerusalem over the site of the tomb.  Similarly, many other sites have been identified and venerated through time.  I have not toured the Holy Land, but what an adventure that would be!

What really inspired these thoughts today is the fact that the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Exultation of the Holy Cross tomorrow, Friday, September 14, with special liturgy at Holy Mass.  The Holy Cross!  The Cross on which hung the Savior of the World!  Was this cross preserved to the present day?  As the story goes, It was “discovered” in the year 326 by St. Helena, mother of Constantine, during a pilgrimage she made to the Holy Land at a time when excavations were taking place on Goglotha, the site of the crucifixion of Jesus.  It is said that the crosses of the two thieves were also found there.

I am inspired by the Scripture readings for tomorrow’s Holy Mass.  Here is an excerpt from St. Paul’s letter to the Phillipians, referring to the infamous death:  “Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  (Phil 2:9-11).   Most people don’t bend their knee these days, but I personally make a conscious effort to bow whenever I hear the name of Jesus.  My prayer for today:  Lord, thank you so much for the excavations and preservations that have occurred and for this awesome feast of the Exultation of the Holy Cross.  Amen!