The Exaltation of the Holy Cross – Feast
Today we pause and ponder on the great love of God for us as we exalt the Holy Cross. For it was by the Holy Cross that the gates of Heaven were opened for us. Through the Holy Cross we have hope of eternal life, for our salvation was paid for by our loving Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who was crucified, died and was buried for love of us. On the third He rose again and took His seat at the right hand of God our Heavenly Father. God came down Himself as man, to lay His life down for love of us, so as to pay the debt we could not repay!
By this Holy Cross we can unite our sufferings for the redemption of souls as we are made whole, One with Him and in Him.
We adore You O Christ,
and we bless You;
Because by Your cross
You have redeemed the World. Amen
First reading
Numbers 21:4-9 ·
If anyone was bitten by a serpent, he looked up at the bronze serpent and lived
On the way through the wilderness the people lost patience. They spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in this wilderness? For there is neither bread nor water here; we are sick of this unsatisfying food.’
At this God sent fiery serpents among the people; their bite brought death to many in Israel. The people came and said to Moses, ‘We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Intercede for us with the Lord to save us from these serpents.’ Moses interceded for the people, and the Lord answered him, ‘Make a fiery serpent and put it on a standard. If anyone is bitten and looks at it, he shall live.’ So Moses fashioned a bronze serpent which he put on a standard, and if anyone was bitten by a serpent, he looked at the bronze serpent and lived.
Gospel
John 3:13-17
God sent his Son so that through him the world might be saved
Jesus said to Nicodemus:
‘No one has gone up to heaven
except the one who came down from heaven,
the Son of Man who is in heaven;
and the Son of Man must be lifted up
as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.
Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost
but may have eternal life.
For God sent his Son into the world
not to condemn the world,
but so that through him the world might be saved.’
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