The Triumph of the Cross
“May I never boast of anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ!” (Galatians 6:14). Today we celebrate the glory and the triumph of the cross of our Savior. In today’s Office, the reading from St. Andrew of Crete says:
Had there been no cross, Christ could not have been crucified. Had there been no cross, life itself could not have been nailed to the tree. And if life had not been nailed to it, there would be no streams of immortality pouring from Christ’s side, blood and water for the world’s cleansing. The legal bond of our sin would not be canceled, we should not have obtained our freedom, we should not have enjoyed the fruit of the tree of life and the gates of paradise would not stand open. Had there been no cross, death would not have been trodden underfoot, nor hell despoiled. Therefore the cross is something wonderfully great and honorable.
Even our own crosses are occasions to rejoice because we can unite our sufferings to Christ, fulfilling His calling to us to take up our cross and follow Him. From the Imitation of Christ:
Why are you afraid, then, to take up the cross when through it you can win an eternal kingdom? In the cross is salvation; in it is life; in it is protection from your enemies; in it is heavenly sweetness; in it is strength of mind; in it is joy of spirit; in it is the highest virtue; in the cross is perfect holiness. Take up your cross and follow Jesus, and you will merit eternal life.