Fr. Mike's Gospel Reflection for - Sunday, September 14, 2025

This weekend we celebrate The Feast of The Exaltation of the Holy Cross. This Feast was established in the 7th Century to commemorate the discovery of the True Cross in 326 by St. Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine. More recently, this Feast is an opportunity to celebrate the victory of the Cross over the sin and darkness of the world. Today portions of the True Cross may be found in various churches, particularly at St. Peter’s Basilica and the Basilica Church of The Holy Cross in Rome.

In the 1st Century, crosses were used to cruelly punish the worst criminals. Imagine if we “exalted” other methods that we have used and continue to use to punish criminals or even put them to death. Yet, the Cross of Jesus Christ is today the universal image of Christian belief and of the love of Jesus, “Who, though in the form of God, emptied himself, taking the form of a slave. This is the glory of the Cross of Jesus!” (Pope Francis).

The Priests are often asked, “Father, can you bless this cross?” as people pull a cross from around their necks or from their purse or pocket. Often, the cross is attached to a chain or a rosary. Among Catholics, most of the “crosses” are actually “crucifixes” because they bear the crucified image of our Lord Jesus Christ. Artists and jewelry designers have turned the cross into a thing of both beauty and great value. Crosses, both large and small, are made of gold and decorated with precious gems. However, for the first Christians, crosses had no beauty. They stood outside many city walls, decorated only with decaying corpses, as a threat to anyone who defied Rome’s authority by following Christ.

As we celebrate this Feast, our primary focus is God’s infinite love and boundless mercy shown to us through the perfect Sacrifice of His Son on the Cross. From Good Friday to Easter Sunday, God transformed the greatest act of cruelty ever known into the greatest act of mercy ever bestowed upon the world. The fact that the Cross is now the symbol of God’s perfect love magnifies His love, showcases His infinite power, and reminds us that “for those who love God all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28). Lift high the Cross!

Fr. Mike