SUNDAY AFTER THE EXALTATION OF THE CROSS.
“The virtues build a new person radiating love to the world.”
(Metropolitan Paul (Yazigi) of Aleppo who consecrated our temple.)
“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
(Hebrews 4:15-16)
SUNDAY 2OTH SEPTEMBER. Sunday after the Exaltation of the Cross. Afterfeast of the Exaltation of the Cross. Great Martyr Eustathius (Eustace), his wife, Theopiste, and their children, Martyrs Agapius & Theopistus, of Rome. Hieromartyr Hypatius, Bishop of Ephesus, and his Presbyter, Andrew (c 730-35). Martyrs Michael & Theodore of Chernigov (1245).
“WHO IS THIS KING OF GLORY? HE IS THE STRONGEST ONE, THEY WERE TOLD, MIGHTY IN BATTLE, THE ONE WHO IS TO GRAPPLE WITH AND OVERTHROW THE CAPTOR OF THE HUMAN RACE WHO HAS THE POWER OF DEATH. WHEN THIS LAST ENEMY HAS BEEN DESTROYED, HE WILL RESTORE US TO FREEDOM AND PEACE. NOW THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST’S DEATH IS FULFILLED, VICTORY IS WON, AND THE CROSS, THE SIGN OF TRIUMPH, IS RAISED ON HIGH.”
(ST. GREGORY OF NYSSA)
“DO NOT SEEK PERFECTION OF THE LAW IN HUMAN VIRTUES, FOR IT IS NOT FOUND PERFECT IN THEM. ITS PERFECTION IS HIDDEN IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST.” (HEYSYCHIUS THE PRIEST)
TODAY’S GOSPEL. MARK 8:34-9:1. “When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” And He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.””
To take up one’s cross is to follow Jesus as best we can. We may fail and fall but the Lord of All on His way to Calvary fell, though not from sin for He is sinless, but fell because of the cruelty of the human race. He fell, but struggled to get to Golgotha where He was nailed to the Cross and lifted up so that all could see the spectacle. To the authorities this was the end but His promise was fulfilled in this darkest of moments. For Christians this is the victory of the Cross that God’s only Son should die for us, to take away the sin of the world.
When we sin and fail in our love we look to the cross and realise that we too must share it’s pain and ultimate joy; for beyond the Cross we see the Glorious Resurrection that gives us hope even when things look very dark. Our individual crosses will cause us pain and anguish but look around and we will see far greater suffering than our own among all the children of God. Often the world turns its back on God, seeking all the pleasures of life and the transient moments of this fleeting world that pass and are forgotten, like a leaf floating down a stream that is seen but then floats away out of sight and out of memory.
As Orthodox Christians we remember the many martyrs of our faith who were killed because they clung to the Cross. But let us also remember the martyrdom of the many, who in a life of prayer and asceticism, humbly and without seeking praise or flattery, made their journey through life quietly walking with Christ, accepting all the burdens that this world had imposed on them, carrying their crosses.
We cannot be blind when we see others struggling in life and, like Simon of Cyrene who carried the Cross for Jesus, we too must try and lift the weight off the shoulders of others. Simon of Cyrene was compelled to carry Christ’s Cross by the Roman soldiers. For our part it is to voluntarily share in carrying the cross of others and, by doing so, we may be adding to the weight of our own cross and deny ourselves comfort but as He says, if we are to follow Him we have to accept the weight of the Cross, the choice is ours.
Much Love,
Fr. George.