HOMILY OF THURSDAY IN THE 23RD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A
The Exaltation of the Holy Cross – Feast
The Exaltation of the Holy Cross is a significant feast in the church’s calendar. It commemorates the finding of the True Cross by Saint Helena and the return of the Cross to Jerusalem. This feast emphasizes the central role of the Cross in Christian theology, symbolizing redemption, sacrifice, and salvation through Christ’s crucifixion. Believers reflect on the profound spiritual significance of the Cross and its enduring message of hope and faith.
THEME: THE SYMBOLISM OF THE CROSS: CELEBRATING OUR LIFE HURDLES
Seeing the fruits of our labour, our sweat and sacrifice become subjects of celebration. When we recognize the benefits within our hardships, we can smile when reflecting on our past experiences. When we have concrete evidence to substantiate for our efforts, we can easily lose sight of our bitter experiences.
Jesus’ cross symbolizes both suffering and redemption. Understanding its importance, he steadfastly embraced it, undeterred by distractions. And today, it stands as our revered symbol of salvation.
“His state was divine, yet Christ Jesus did not cling to his equality with God but emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave and became as men are; and being as all men are, he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross. But God raised him high and gave him the name which is above all other names.
In the first reading, the Israelites were murmuring in the wilderness. Instead of looking at their destination, where God was leading them to, they concentrated on their predicament in the wilderness, and God sent fiery serpent to bite them. It is poisonous to be negative.
Let us be positive about our experiences. No matter what we are passing through, God has a special plan for each one of us. The cross is crown personified.
Let us pray that we embrace all our life hurdles with the right attitudes so that we may reap harvest of joy. Amen
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