Today the Church solemnly commemorates the finding of the Precious Cross of the Lord. This joyous event occurred three centuries after the Resurrection of the Lord by the zeal of the holy Empress Elena, the mother of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine. The Tree of the Cross needed to appear to the world for the joy, triumph, and adornment of the Church.
The power of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord gives the greatest help to those who protect themselves with its sign. “The Cross is the sign of our salvation, of the common freedom and mercy of our Lord,” says St. John Chrysostom. If it has opened the gates of hell, unlocked the door of Heaven, reopened the entrance to Paradise, crushed the power of the devil, then why should we be surprised if it defeats the power of poisonous substances, beasts, and the like?
Indeed, the Sign of the Cross holds great power. There was once a Bishop named Julian, a monk, in the city of Bostra in Arabia. Some of the residents of the city who were enemies of Christ wanted to poison him. They bribed a young servant to put poison in the cup when he served the bishop a drink, and so he did. Bishop Julian was aware of the treachery, so he took the cup and placed it down in front of himself, saying nothing to the young servant. Then he called all the citizens of the city, including the malefactors, and not wanting to expose them, he told everyone: “If you’re thinking about poisoning humble Julian, then I’ll drink it here in front of all of you.” He made the Sign of the Cross over the glass thrice, saying, “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, I drink this glass,” and having drunk it in front of everyone, he remained unharmed. Seeing this, the malefactors fell to the ground and begged forgiveness.
Contemplating the numerous miracles manifesting the power of the Cross of Christ, St. Dmitry of Rostov said in his homily on the Exaltation:
By the Tree of Paradise we were made mortal, and by the Tree of the Cross we were quickened; by the first we were driven from Paradise, by the second we ascend to Heaven; by the first the enemy defeated us, by the second we defeat our enemies. Therefore, this blessed Tree is worthy of all reverence. If the weapon with which David beheaded Goliath was kept with great honor in Solomon’s Temple, then all the more worthy of honor and veneration is the weapon of the Cross, by which Christ defeated not a man, but the devil, this infernal Goliath, with all his hosts. Before the coming of Christ, the devil had power because people had no weapon with which to resist him, but now there is the Cross of Christ. Simply make the Sign of the Cross over yourself, and he’ll immediately flee from you. He’s bound by the power of the Cross, and if he’s bound, then how can he harm you? If he harms you, then you bind him, that is, make the Sign of the Cross over yourself, and he’ll be bound. Does the devil put evil thoughts in your mind? Make the Sign of the Cross on your forehead and he’ll flee from you. Does he force you to turn your eyes every which way? Make the Sign of the Cross on your forehead and he’ll depart from you. Does he compel your tongue to prattle on? Drive him away with the Cross. Do the vain words of others reach your ears? Protect your hearing with the Sign of the Cross.
This is also what St. John of Damascus advises us, saying:
The Cross was given to us as a sign on our foreheads, just as Israel was given circumcision. By the Cross, we the faithful are distinguished from the unfaithful. We’re marked by the Cross; the Cross is a shield, a weapon, and victory over the devil; it’s a seal, so that the destroyer can’t touch us.
Venerating the Cross of the Lord, we must take care that our outward veneration would be an expression of our inner spiritual worship of the Savior. It’s salvific for us if it serves as an expression of sincere and reverent faith in the crucified Lord. Jesus Christ, crucified on the Cross, is our Savior and God, and the Cross is the banner of our victory and Christian faith. We humbly bow our knees and our minds before this sign, in awe of the incomprehensible wisdom of God and the highest mystery of God’s love for mankind. We must always confess our faith in the Lord crucified for us, remembering the Savior’s words: Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father Which is in Heaven (Mt. 10:32).
The Lord suffered for our sins that we might live for truth. Let us try to live piously, in God’s truth, otherwise we’ll find ourselves subjected to terrible punishment not only for our sins, but also for trampling upon the Blood of the Son of God. May it not be so with us. On the contrary, let us be filled with a sense of gratitude to the Lord with true filial devotion, and let us lovingly fall down at this Cross, kissing the Savior depicted upon it and crying out, “Before Thy Cross, we bow down in worship, O Master, and Thy holy Resurrection we glorify!”
Amen.
