14 September 2020
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
On this date, for a millennium and a half, Roman Catholics have celebrated the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. It was on this date in the year 335 that the true cross was brought forth from the newly dedicated Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem for the veneration of the faithful. Let us use this day as they did, by deepening our appreciation for the cross of Jesus Christ.
Venerate the cross today, simply by finding any cross and kissing it. Hang a cross on the wall in your home or your office. Look for a way to stay close to the cross throughout your day, perhaps by wearing it or keeping it in your pocket.
Another way to venerate the cross is to make it the subject of an Ignatian contemplation. Spend 30 minutes to an hour in a quiet place. Close your eyes and see the cross in your mind’s eye. Give permission for your imagination to run free: how did the cross look as Our Lord was hanging from it. Was it rough or smooth? Tall or short? Pale or dark? What kind of tree(s) did it come from? Who cut it and why? What happened to it after it served its role in our redemption? Was it used to crucify others? How was it lost? How was it found by St. Helena?
The goal of this exercise is not to paint for yourself the most accurate picture possible of historical events. Rather, the goal is to create a mental forum in which God himself may choose to participate with his grace. We can invite God’s participation by making the forum as expansive and illustrious as possible.