Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Prayer
Heavenly Father, by the power of the holy cross, draw us ever closer to Your Son, that we may share in His victory over sin and death, through Christ, our Lord.
Commentary
1st Reading: Numbers 21:4b-9
Our first reading highlights both the consequences of Israel’s lack of trust and God’s merciful provision of healing.
Frustrated with their hardships, the Israelites complain against God and Moses, lamenting their lack of food
and water and expressing disdain for the manna God provided. In response, God sends venomous serpents among them, leading to many deaths. Recognizing
their sin, the people plead with Moses to intercede.
God then commands Moses to fashion a bronze
serpent and mount it on a pole, declaring that anyone who looks at it will be healed.
This passage serves as a cautionary reminder for us today. In moments of hardship, do we focus only on
our struggles, or do we seek God’s presence and trust
in His greater plan? Like the Israelites, we may find healing not by eliminating suffering but by turning
our gaze toward the One who redeems it.
Question:
How does my gazing upon the cross of Christ help me in my moment of despair and doubt?
2nd Reading: Philippians 2:6-11
Philippians presents the profound mystery of Christ’s self-emptying and exaltation, a passage often called the “Christ Hymn.” It speaks of Jesus, who, though fully divine, did not cling to His status but humbled Himself, taking on human nature and even accepting death on a cross.
This radical humility is at the heart of the Christian life. The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross reminds us that the very instrument of suffering and humiliation became the means of salvation.
This feast invites us to contemplate the paradox of the Christian journey: to be lifted up, we must first go down; to be glorified, we must embrace humility.
The cross is not merely an event of the past but a reality in our daily lives—each time we choose selflessness over selfishness, sacrifice over comfort, and love over indifference, we participate in Christ’s journey from humiliation to glory.
Question:
How does the mystery of Christ’s humility and exaltation shape the way we carry our own crosses in daily life?
Gospel: John 3:13-17
John’s Gospel reveals the profound mystery of the Cross as both the instrument of Christ’s suffering and the means of our salvation. Jesus compares His coming crucifixion to the bronze serpent Moses lifted up in the wilderness (First reading) a foreshadowing of how He Himself would be lifted up on the Cross for the healing of all who look to Him in faith.
At the heart of this Gospel passage is the revelation of God’s love. John 3:16, one of the most well-known verses in Scripture, proclaims that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, not to condemn but to save. The Cross, then, is the ultimate sign of divine love—a love willing to endure suffering and rejection for the sake of our redemption.
This passage challenges us to see the Cross not merely as a historical event but as an ongoing invitation to trust in God’s love. Just as the Israelites had to look upon the bronze serpent to be healed, we, too, must turn our gaze to Christ crucified to find true healing and salvation.
Question:
How does the Cross challenge our understanding of love and sacrifice in daily life?
This Week’s Task
This week, identify a personal challenge or suffering and intentionally unite it with Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. Offer it in prayer for someone in need, trusting that God can bring redemption and grace from every trial.
Group Prayer
The leader holds a crucifix and offers a prayer of Thanksgiving or a prayer for a special need.
Group response:
“We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world. “
The cross is passed to the next person in the group for his/her own prayer of gratitude or petition, followed by the same group response.
The prayer continues with Psalm 78.
Psalm
Response: Do not forget the works of the Lord!
Hearken, my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable,
I will utter mysteries from of old
R: Do not forget the works of the Lord!
While he slew them they sought him
and inquired after God again,
Remembering that God was their rock
and the Most High God, their redeemer.
R: Do not forget the works of the Lord!
But they flattered him with their mouths
and lied to him with their tongues,
Though their hearts were not steadfast toward him,
nor were they faithful to his covenant.
R: Do not forget the works of the Lord!
But he, being merciful, forgave their sin
and destroyed them not;
Often he turned back his anger
and let none of his wrath be roused.