The feast of the Cross By H.H Pope Shenouda The Church celebrates the feast of the Cross on the 17th of Tout,(መስከረም 17) (27th or 28th of September), theday of the apparition of the Cross to the Emperor Constantine, and on the 10th of Baramhat (19th of March), (መጋቢት 10)the day when the Empress Helen found the wood of the Holy Cross. We want to speak about the spiritual meaning of the Cross as well as the importance and benediction of the Cross in our lives. The Cross is every difficulty which we suffer in view of our love for God, our love for people, and for the Kingdom of God in general. He made the bearing of the Cross a condition for the discipleship to Him. Hesaid: “And whoever does not bear his Cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:27). CHRISTIAN LIFE IS A CROSS In fact, Christian life is practically a journey to Golgotha; and Christianity without a Cross is really not Christianity. Those who have received their good things on earth, will have no share in the Kingdom, as the story of the rich man and Lazarus illustrates (Luke 16:25). This applies to individuals as well as groups of people and churches. Christianity is a participation in the sufferings of Christ, as the apostle Saint Paul said: “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Philippians 3:10). With respect to participation in the sufferings, he said: “I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20).Therefore, if you want to live with Christ, you must be crucified with Christ; you must be crucified and suffer for Him, even if that entails dying for Him also. THE CROSS AND ITS GLORIES In Christianity, you suffer, you find pleasure in suffering, and you obtain crowns for your suffering which is transformed into glory. Christianity is not a Cross which you carry, and grumble and protest in your complaint! No - it is the love of the Cross, the love of suffering, sacrifice and fatigue for the Lord and for the expansion of His kingdom. It was said about the Lord Christ: “who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame”(Heb.12:2). The apostle Saint Paul said: “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake”(2 Cor. 12:10). And after having been scourged, our fathers the apostles “departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5:41). Regarding the glories of sufferings, the apostle says: “if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Rom. 8:17). Therefore he said after that: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18). And thus, Saint Peter the Apostle said, but even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed” (1 Peter 3:14). Hence sufferings are accompanied by blessings. The Lord Christ has mentioned them saying: “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt. 5: 11-12). For this reason, the Holy Church has placed the martyrs in the highest order of saints because they were those who have suffered the Cross more than all the others, in view of their constancy in the faith. The Church also places with them the confessors who confessed the faith and suffered many torments without obtaining the crown of martyrdom. If you bear a Cross, accept that joyfully because of the crowns which you will obtain if you do not complain nor doubt. We find that the sufferings for the Lord are associated with joy and jubilation and with the celestial reward. While they were stoning him, Saint Stephen saw the heavens opened, “and saw the glory of God” (Acts 7: 55,56). What joy he had at that time! There is another joy which the martyrs felt; it is that they had completed the days of their sojourn on earth and the moment of their encounter with the Lord approached. Some of them saw the crowns and the glories; others had holy visions that consoled them. Martyrdom used to be a Cross; then it became a pleasure. Saints began to desire martyrdom and long for death, rejoicing in it. Laboring and suffering for God’s sake became a pleasure and an enjoyment. Therefore, the Bible considers suffering a gift from God. “For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake” (Phil. 1:29). We do not separate the Cross from its rejoicing and its glories; we also do not separate it from the assistance and grace of God.The Christian might carry a Cross, but he does not carry it alone as God does not leave him alone. There is a divine assistance that supports and upholds him. It is that assistance which stood with the martyrs so they could bear the sufferings; it is that assistance that stands with the faithful in every tribulation. HOW TO BEAR YOUR CROSS PRACTICALLY 1. The Cross is a sign of love, bestowal, sacrifice, and redemption, which you carry each time you are tired in view of the practice of these virtues. Try to get tired for the rest of another, and for his deliverance and his service; and be confident that God never forgets the fatigue of charity, “and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.” (1 Cor. 3:8). Train yourself to give: whatever you bestow and support and sacrifice; train yourself to give from your necessities, as the blessed widow had done (Luke 21:4).Tire yourself in your service, because the more you weary, the more your love will appear, and therefore the greater your sacrifice will be. 2. The Cross is also a sign of sufferings and endurance. In the midst of the sufferings which the Lord endured for us—whether the sufferings of the body, of which He said: “They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones” (Psalm 22:16-17), or the sufferings of shame which He joyfully endured for us—He was rejoicing for our salvation. Therefore the apostle said about Him: “who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame” (Heb: 12:2). How great is joyful endurance. That is a lesson for us. You suffer a Cross if you endure the tribulation of the Cross for the Lord, or encounter persecution because of your justice, or are hit with a disease or a weakness; likewise if you endure the wearisome deeds of people without taking revenge for yourself, but rather turn the other cheek, walk the second mile, and do not resist an evil person (Matt. 5:39), and act with patience. Such patience is a Cross, whether your endurance is within the circle of the family, in the field of service, or in relation to your work. 3. You will bear a cross if you crucify the flesh with its passions (Gal. 5:24). Each time you attempt to overcome a craving or a guilty desire, you are bearing a cross. You also crucify your thoughts each time you control them from wandering. Likewise, when you restrain your senses, bridle your tongue, constrain your body, endure hunger, avoid appetizing food, escape bodily pleasure, and control the love of money, you bear a cross. 4. You bear your cross in your self-denial, by taking the last place. By not seeking dignity, by your giving up your rights, by not taking your reward on earth, by preferring others to yourself in everything with love that “does not seek its own” (1 Cor. 13:5), by humility and renouncement, and by keeping away from praise and dignity. 5. You bear your cross by bearing the sins of others, as our Lord the Christ did. There is no objection to bearing the guilt of another one and be punished in his place; or that you bear the responsibilities of another person and to carry them out in his stead. And as Saint Paul said to Philemon about Onesimus: “But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. I, Paul, an writing with my own hand, I will repay” (Philemon 18-19). As much as you can, participate in the sufferings of others, and carry them in their place. Be a Cyrenian bearing the Cross of another.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 10:00:37 +0000