On September 14, the Church does something strange. We celebrate an instrument of torture. The Exaltation of the Holy Cross (also called the Triumph of the Cross) is not a morbid fascination with death. It is a victory lap. We hold up the wood on which the Savior died and say: "Behold the wood of the Cross, on which hung the salvation of the world."
St. Paul said it best:
"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (Galatians 6:14).
Here is the history of how we found the actual Cross of Jesus—and why it is the key to your life.
1. The History: St. Helena's Discovery (326 AD)
For the first 300 years of Christianity, the Cross was hidden. The Romans had built a pagan temple (to Venus) over the site of Golgotha to stop Christians from visiting it. But in 312 AD, Emperor Constantine had a vision before a battle. He saw a Cross in the sky with the words: "In Hoc Signo Vinces" (In this sign, you will conquer). He put the cross on his shields, won the battle, and legalized Christianity.
His mother, St. Helena, was a devout Christian. Even at age 80, she wanted to find the holy sites. She traveled to Jerusalem. She ordered the pagan temple torn down. Workers dug and found the Holy Sepulchre (the Tomb). Nearby, in a cistern, they found three wooden crosses and the Titulus (the sign that said "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews"). But the Titulus was detached. Which cross was Jesus'?
The Test
Bishop Macarius of Jerusalem had an idea. He brought a woman who was dying of a terminal illness to the site. He touched the first cross to her. Nothing. He touched the second cross to her. Nothing. As soon as she touched the third cross, she was instantly healed. St. Helena fell to her knees. She divided the wood. Part stayed in Jerusalem (in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre). Part went to Rome (Santa Croce in Gerusalemme). Part went to Constantinople.
2. The Theology: The Tree of Life
Why call it "Exaltation"? The Church sees the Cross as the New Tree of Life.
- Eden: Adam ate from a tree and brought death.
- Calvary: The New Adam (Jesus) hung on a tree and brought life.
- Eden: Pride (wanting to be God) destroyed us.
- Calvary: Humility (God becoming man) saved us.
The Cross is the "Key" that fits the lock of the Gates of Heaven. Without the Cross, there is no entry.
3. Veneration vs. Worship
Do Catholics worship the Cross? No. That would be idolatry. We venerate it. Think of it like a soldier saluting the flag. He isn't worshiping the cloth; he is honoring the country it represents. When we kiss the Cross on Good Friday, we are kissing the love that nailed Jesus to it. St. Thomas Aquinas taught that we give latria (worship) to the Cross only insofar as it represents Christ Crucified.
4. The Power of the Sign
We make the Sign of the Cross before prayer, before meals, and when we enter a church. It is not just a habit. It is a shield. Tertullian (2nd Century) wrote:
"In all our travels and movements, in all our coming in and going out, in putting on our shoes, at the bath, at the table, in lighting our candles, in lying down, in sitting down, whatever employment occupies us, we mark our foreheads with the sign of the cross."
Demons hate it. Exorcists tell us that the Sign of the Cross burns demons. It reminds them of their defeat. When you feel tempted, anxious, or afraid... verify the Sign. Do it slowly. "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." You are marking yourself as God's property.
5. Daily Life: "Offer It Up"
Jesus said: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23). Notice He said daily. We often look for big crosses (cancer, martyrdom). But the "daily cross" is harder:
- The coworker who annoys you.
- The traffic jam.
- The headache.
- The crying baby.
The Exaltation of the Cross teaches us not to waste our suffering. Don't drag your cross. It gets heavier. Embrace your cross. It becomes a ladder to heaven. When you unite your small sufferings with His big suffering, they become redemptive. You can "offer them up" for others.
Conclusion: Hail, O Cross
On this feast day, look at the crucifix in your home. It is the only symbol of execution that became a symbol of love. It is the proof that God did not stand aloof from our pain. He entered it. He transformed it. And He asks us to do the same.
Prayer:
"We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You, because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world."
Is your cross heavy? Find Simon of Cyrene in the MyPrayerTower app.