Keeping Us Connected Newsletter

September 13, 2024

We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee;

because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Icon: Constantine and St. Helena “Exaltation of the Cross”

Dear Saint Mary Friends,

Tomorrow is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Here is a good 2008 reflection on the Feast by Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, Preacher to the Papal Household. The final five paragraphs give us all a critical challenge.

Reflection on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

This feast mainly recalls the discovery of the relics of the True Cross by St. Helena, Mother of the Emperor Constantine, and his building two basilicas in 325: one over the site of Golgotha and the other over Christ's Holy Sepulcher. The feast became a joyous celebration of the mystery of the cross, which Christ transformed from an instrument of shame and judgment to an instrument of salvation.

The 2nd reading at Mass is the hymn from St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians in which the cross is the cause of Christ's "exaltation": "He emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him….”

The Gospel proclaims the Son of Man will be lifted up "so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life."

In history there have been two basic ways of representing the cross and the Crucified. For the sake of convenience we will call them the "ancient" and the "modern”.

The ancient way, which we can admire in mosaics of old basilicas and crucifixes of Romanesque art, is the festive way, full of majesty. The cross, often without a corpus, is spangled with gems, set against a starry sky with the inscription: "Salus Mundi" -- "Salvation of the World.”

In the period’s wooden crucifixes, this same representation is expressed in the Christ who is enthroned on the cross in royal and priestly vestments, eyes open, without a shadow of suffering but radiating majesty and victory, no longer crowned with thorns but with gems. ….it is the moment of his "exaltation": "When I am exalted I will draw all to myself" (John 12:32).

Christ Priest and King Northern Italy c. 700

The modern way…begins with Gothic art. An extreme example is Matthias Grünewald's Isenheim Altar Piece. The hands and feet are contorted around nails like thorn bushes, the head is in agony beneath the crown of thorns, the body full of wounds. Crucifixes of Velasquez and Dali and others belong to this type.

Crucifixion, Matthias Grunewald, c. 1515

Both of these ways of depicting the cross and the crucified shed light on true aspects of this mystery. The modern way -- dramatic, realistic, excruciating -- represents the crude reality, the moment when Christ dies upon it. The cross is a symbol of evil, suffering, and the tremendous reality of death.

The ancient way sheds light not on the cross' causes but its effects; not that which creates the cross, but that which the cross itself creates: reconciliation, peace, glory, eternal life….The Feast is called the "Exaltation" of the Cross, celebrating this aspect.

To the modern approach, the ancient should be united: rediscovering the glorious cross. If when we were suffering it was helpful to think of Jesus on the cross in pain so that we could feel closer to him, it is necessary to think of the cross in a fuller way.

I will explain what I mean by an example. Suppose we have lost a loved one, after months of terrible suffering. It is good not to continue to think of her as she was then, torturing ourselves perhaps in our heart and mind. All of that is over, it does not exist, it is unreal. If we continued in this way, we would only prolong the suffering and keep it alive artificially.

We are all in need of discovering the meaning of this Feast: “The Exaltation of the Cross. It is no longer you who carry the cross; the cross carries you; the cross does not crush but exalts you.

We must now think of the loved one as he or she is now that "everything is finished”. This is what those ancient artists did with Jesus. They contemplated him as he is now: risen, glorious, seated on the throne of God, with the Father who has "wiped away every tear from his eyes" and has given him "all power in heaven and on earth." …

I do not say that we can always command our heart and stop it from hurting over what has happened, but it is necessary to let faith finally prevail.

Blessings,

Msgr. Kevin T. Royal

Pastor

Weekly Bulletin

Su n day, September 15

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

VIEW

Reflection

The Golden Rule

by Deacon Bob Salvestrini

READ

Video

Gruesome Beauty of The Cross of Christ

Hospitality Hour

Please join us for refreshments after the 9AM Mass this Sunday, sponsored by the Disciples 4 Life Ministry as well as after the Organ Recital on Sunday at 3PM, sponsored by the Music Ministry.