Daily Reflection for Monday, September 14, 2020
Peace and Blessings, Friends and Parishioners!
We encourage you to reflect on Monday’s readings at this link:
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/091420.cfm
If you prefer to use your own Bible, the readings are:
First Reading: Numbers 21:4B-9
Responsorial: Psalm 78:1BC-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38
Second Reading: Philippians 2:6-11
Gospel: John 3:13-17
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Our reflection on Monday’s readings:
“And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” (John 3:14)
The gift of revelation. “A surprising and previously unknow fact, especially one that is made known in a dramatic way.” Or “the divine or supernatural disclosure to humans of something relating to human existence or the world.” (Google’s English Dictionary provided by Oxford Languages)
I was greeted with a revelation upon my preparation for reflection on this reading. It was a new awareness of this feast day for me. I know, that as a cradle Catholic I was raised with the exaltation of the Holy Cross as a central theme of my faith. I realized today though, that I have never specifically thought about the reason for this feast.
Looking deeper, I found some beautiful stories. One is of the cross on which it is believed Jesus was crucified and its discovery in the 4th century by St. Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great. The feast occurs on the dedication day of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher each year. The cross did not arrive at the basilica until the seventh century, after Emperor Heraclius recovered the cross from the Persians. “According to the story, the emperor intended to carry the cross back into Jerusalem himself, but was unable to move forward until he took off his imperial garb and became a barefoot pilgrim.” (Posted by Franciscan Media)
God continues to call us to remove our “worldly” garb as we stand at the foot of the cross.
In the first reading today, Moses seeks God’s mercy from the venomous snakes. Gazing at a bronze snake allowed the Israelites to live. This seems very symbolic of the road ahead for God’s people. When they glanced upon the source of their affliction, they were met by their God.
Is not looking at the Cross similar? To truly look at the Cross of Christ is to recall the sacrifice He made for us.
Looking at His Cross and holding up His sacrifice is what leads to eternal life. Only through the Cross are we saved and only through keeping Christ at the center of our vision do we remain focused on what is important in this life so we are prepared for the next.
“Lord, help me to never lose sight of the Cross.”
In Heartfelt Joy,
Lynne Brennan