A Sign of God’s Love

HOMILY FOR THE EXALTATION OF THE CROSS, YEAR C

BY REV. AUGUSTINE ADETOLA

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. This feast remembers

the Cross of Jesus. It has been celebrated by the Church for centuries. The feast began

in the 4th century, when the True Cross was found by St. Helena, the mother of Emperor

Constantine. Tradition says she found the Cross in Jerusalem, where Jesus was crucified. This discovery made a deep impression on Christians and led to honoring the Cross in a special way.

The feast celebrates the Cross because it is the symbol of our faith. The Cross shows us

how much Jesus loves us. He died on the Cross to save us from our sins. In Christian

tradition, the Cross is a sign of hope, even though it was an instrument of death. It

reminds us that Jesus turned suffering and death into victory and life. Jesus willingly died on the Cross to save us from our sins. He took on the suffering we deserved and offered His life for us. Through His death, He opened the way to eternal life. The Cross reminds us of this great act of love and mercy.

Furthermore, the Cross also represents forgiveness. Jesus forgave those who crucified

Him, saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). His

death was an act of forgiveness for the whole world. When we look at the Cross, we see

how much God is willing to forgive us, no matter what we have done.

In addition, the Cross gives us hope. Even though it was a tool of suffering and death,

Jesus turned it into a sign of victory. His resurrection shows that death is not the end. By

carrying our own crosses, we are united with Jesus and can share in His victory. The Cross tells us that no matter how hard our struggles are, there is always hope in Christ.

This feast invites us to reflect on what the Cross means to us. The Cross is more than a

symbol. It teaches us to trust in Jesus and accept life’s struggles with faith. We can offer

our hardships to God, just as Jesus gave His life for us. The Cross reminds us that

suffering is not the end. It is a path to new life. When we look at the Cross, we remember

Jesus’ love and the hope He gives us.

Also, this feast teaches us that we should be compassionate to people who carry heavy

crosses that we are not aware of. People go through a lot. Some we know, others we have

no clue. We see smiling faces every Sunday, which does not mean all is well. Some are going through pain that they cannot just share. We can be compassionate with our words and kindness. We are called to be like Simeon, who helped Jesus carry his cross. As members of Saint Peter Claver church, we are called to share and embrace kindness. It's okay to disagree; it is okay to have different views on things. It is not okay to bring ourselves down or talk badly about our church because we do not agree. People are listening, our children are watching, and they are hearing us talk about the church and the people in the church. When we do, they won’t be moved to come to church because all they sense is division and hatred.

We must always remember that the Cross is not just a historical event, but a living symbol of God’s love for us. As we pray and sing, we are called to embrace the Cross in our own lives, trusting in the power of Christ’s sacrifice to save us and help us as we carry our own daily crosses.

May God make our crosses lighter and may we carry them joyfully. Amen.