EXALTING THE CROSS,
EMPTYING THE SELF

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Exalting the Cross, Emptying the Self.”

Today, September 14, we Catholics celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.

Down through the centuries, this has been one of the key dates for this feast – but there are other days that this feast has been and is celebrated – not only in the Catholic Church but in the other Christian Churches as well.

7TH SACRAMENT

Last night as I was doing a bit of research and reading on this I noticed that in the Assyrian Church of the East – not affiliated with Rome – they make the Sign of the Cross the 7th Sacrament.

Immediate question: Which of our 7 don’t they consider a sacrament? Answer: Marriage. Interesting. Joke: some say at some times they are the same. Just a joke.

As I reflected upon that, do members of this Assyrian Christian Church of the East make the Sign of the Cross better – thinking it’s a sacrament – than we who don’t – or only consider it as a sacred sign?

I would think they would.

THE TITLE OF MY HOMILY

The title of my homily is, “Exalting the Cross, Emptying the Self.”

As today’s 2nd reading points out – the great text from Philippians – Jesus emptied himself – lowered himself – by dying on the cross and then was exalted by the Father for suffering and dying for us.

I noticed in a sermon I read last night about the cross, some preacher suggested taking a pen or pencil and simply write the letter I on a blank piece of paper. Then he said, “Notice the I standing alone by itself. Next take that pen or pencil and cross out that I – eliminate oneself – and surprise – you have a cross.

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WHAT TO DO TODAY?

There are several things you can do today – to help make this feast significant.

Resolve next time you are at St. John Neumann’s church – to go up to the front – go up into the sanctuary – and stand under the cross and look up and see Jesus. Be aware of your reactions. Or you stand under the big cross in the back of this church.

Or make the stations of the Cross.

Or check out your home. Where is there a cross hanging? Dust it off. Then kneel before it and say to Jesus, “We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. By your holy cross you have redeemed the world.”

Or take a rosary and starting with the cross and then each bead say one of the four acclamations we say at Mass after the consecration, “Lord, by your cross and resurrection, you have set us free. You are the savior of the world. "

Or say on each bead, the great prayer message of John the Baptist from John 3:30, "I must decrease; you must increase."

Or say the prayer of Teilhard de Chardin [1881-1855] on each bead, "Christ ever greater."

CONCLUSION
The title of my homily is, “Exalting the Cross, Emptying the Self.”



Picture of stained glass window on top from chapel in Malvern Pennsylvania Retreat House.