Today we celebrate the feast of the Exultation of the Holy Cross. It celebrates the anniversary of the dedication of two churches built by Emperor Constantine in 335 over the sites of Jesus’ crucifixion and his empty tomb. It also commemorates the discovery of the Lord’s cross by the empress Helena in 320.
The Liturgy calls to mind the events of Good Friday but takes it to another level with the word “exultation.” We call the cross the Tree of Life, the throne of grace, the bridge to the Resurrection. By humbling himself to the point of death Jesus was exalted by God, St. Paul reminds us in the Liturgy.
How do you use the symbol of the cross in your daily living? How is the cross a sign of hope and new life for you?