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On September 14 of each year, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The feast commemorates two events: the discovery of the relic of the Christ's cross by St. Helena (mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine) in 320 AD/CE, and the dedication of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which covers the crucifixion and resurrection sites in 1149. Previously, there had been two churches over those sites: they were dedicated in 335 and destroyed by the Persians in 614, then rebuilt in 626 and destroyed by the Muslims in 1009.

The idea of exalting an instrument of torture and death seems a bit odd. Yet, that is what some early Christians did, even decorating crosses with placing precious gems. Early on, the sign of the cross was used in devotions. The small sign of the cross, traced with the thumb over one's forehead, was in use by about the year 200, likely much earlier. Hippolytus (c. 170-236 AD) testified to this practice: "When tempted, always reverently seal your forehead with the sign of the cross" (Apostolic Tradition, 42:1).

Tertullian (ca. 160-230 AD) also speaks of the small sign of the cross being used in a devotional context: "In all our actions, when we come in or go out, when we dress, when we wash, at our meals, before resting to sleep, we make on our forehead the sign of the cross" (De Corona, Ch. 3). The sign of the cross over the whole upper body develops in the 400s. But I digress...

As for the exultation of an instrument of suffering and death, had Christ not risen from the dead, the cross would have remained just that. However, the resurrection transforms the horrific cross into an instrument of salvation and life: it can now even be called "holy." Through the cross, Christ conquers death. Through the cross, the world is redeemed. Through the cross, God's grace is poured forth. Through the cross, we are saved. Therefore, the cross is a sign of victory-Christ's victory for us-which we can claim even when we are feeling most defeated.

Finally, Jesus told his disciples to take up their crosses daily and follow him (Luke 14:27). God's grace is poured out through Christ's cross: our cooperation with God's grace is realized in the virtuous bearing of our own crosses. They can be the co-instruments (with Christ's cross) of our salvation-and, in some cases, co-instruments of the salvation of others. Our virtuous response to the crosses in our lives can ultimately transform those crosses. At the end of each of our lives, perhaps we might be able to speak of the exaltation of the very things that burden us and cause us suffering, even death: for example, the exaltation of cancer, the exaltation of Alzheimer's, the exaltation of Parkinson's, etc.

Fr. Steve Werner

Holy Rosary Catholic Church

Pomeroy