THE FEAST OF THE CROSS Feast of the

THE FEAST OF THE CROSS

Feast of the Cross § Tut 17 – (September 27) – Feast of the appearance of the Cross to Empress Helena (4 th century) – Day of Consecration of Church in Jerusalem § Baramhat 10 – (March 19) – Feast of the return of the Cross from the Persians at the time of Emperor Heraclius (7 th century)

What is the Cross? § Actual Cross our Lord was crucified upon § Spiritual Cross we carry as Christians and disciples of our Lord

Sign of the Cross § One finger – Tradition received from St. Mark – “if I by the finger of God cast out demons…” – Law written with the finger of God – One God § One in essence § Three hypostases/Persons § One of the Trinity was Incarnate

In the Name of the Father And the Holy Spirit One God. Amen. And the Son

YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR MIND AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH WITH ALL YOUR HEART

Sign of the Cross § Make prostration (metania) § Give blessing § Can make hand in the sign of the Cross – Jesus Christ Conqueror – God the Logos took flesh to save us

Meanings of the Cross § § § § Salvation Love of God Faith in Trinity Faith in Incarnation Spiritual struggle Death to world Faith in Work of Holy Spirit in Sacraments and our life to transfer us from left to right

Why the Cross? ST. ATHANASIUS (On the Incarnation of the Word): § a) “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” (Deut 21: 23). – He came to bear our curse § b) that He might draw His ancient people and the Gentiles and join them both together in Himself, “If I am lifted up from earth I will draw all people unto Myself. ” (Jn 2: 32) § c) The cross provides a death in the air, which is the sphere of the devil, the enemy of our race – “according to the prince of power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” (Eph 2: 2).

Old Testament Symbols § Aaron’s rod § Moses w/arms lifted up fighting against Amalekites § Bronze serpent § Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac (carrying wood) § Jacob blessing sons of Joseph § Passover lamb/blood on threshold of houses of Israelites § Rock in the wilderness

Some Verses from Holy Bible § § § § § "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me" (Luke 9: 23; cf. Matthew 16: 24; Mark 8: 34) "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me" (Matthew 10: 38; cf. Luke 14: 27) "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but for us who are being saved, it is the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1: 18) "But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1: 23) "But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Galatians 6: 14) "For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2: 2) "O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? " (Galatians 3: 1) “knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. (Romans 6: 6) “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. ” (Galatians 2: 20)

Old Testament Prophecies § § § Psalm 22 Isaiah 53 Many other verses