Why is this day thus called?

Because on this day the Catholic Church solemnly commemorates the finding of the true Cross of our Lord in the year 326 by St. Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine.

Where was the Cross before this discovery?

In the city of Jerusalem, buried under ruins, and over it was built a temple of the goddess Venus. The Emperor Adrian who lived two hundred years before Helena, had undertaken not only to profane the sacred places of our Lord’s death and burial, but to conceal all traces of them.

How did St. Helena find the Cross?

When her son, the Emperor Constantine, had conquered his enemy, the cruel Maxentius, by the aid of the Holy Cross which he saw in the heavens, radiant and glorious, with the inscription: "IN THIS SIGN CONQUER!" he became animated with such veneration for the Cross, that he commanded it to be venerated throughout the Roman Empire, and from that time forward forbade any one to be crucified. He also resolved to build a magnificent church in Jerusalem in honor of the Holy Cross. His mother, the Empress Helena, in her very advanced age went herself to the Holy Land, and undertook, with the aid of St. Macarius, Bishop of Jerusalem, to find the sacred burial-place of Christ. After clearing the spot of the rubbish, she was successful in finding the vault of the Holy Sepulcher. Near to it they found three crosses, the nails, and the inscription which had been placed over the Cross.

In order to know which was the true Cross, St. Macarius full of faith fervently prayed to God, and caused a woman, who was mortally ill, to be touched with the three crosses. The first two had no effect, but when touched by the third, she rose up in perfect health. Thus, they received the assurance that the true Cross was found. Helena sent one part of the Cross and the nails to her son at Constantinople; another part, with the inscription, she presented to a church at Rome, which now bears the name of the Church of the Holy Cross; but the largest part of it she caused to be set in silver, and given to the Bishop of Jerusalem, to be preserved for after ages. When Constantine received the precious gift, he wrote to Macarius empowering him to build upon the spot, where our Saviour rose from the dead, a church which should exceed in splendor anything that had ever before been seen. This church was built, and under the name of the Holy Sepulchre was dedicated in the year 335. The principal part of the Holy Cross was some time after brought to Rome, and has been cut into small pieces and distributed over almost the whole world to be venerated as parts of the instrument of Redemption.

O glorious and venerable Cross! O most precious wood! O wonderful sign by which sin, the devil and hell were conquered, and the world redeemed by Jesus Christ! Great art thou above all the trees of the cedars of the forest, for on thee hung the Life of the world! On thee Christ triumphed and by His death conquered death forever. Alleluia.

We adore Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, and bless Thee, because by Thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH. O God, who, in the miraculous discovery of the Holy Cross, wast pleased to renew the wonders of Thy passion: grant, that by the ransom paid on that saving wood, we may find help for the obtaining of life eternal. Who livest &c.

Epistle (Phil. 5-11.) as on Palm-Sunday.

GOSPEL. (John iii. I - 15.) At that time, there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night, and said to him: Rabbi, we know that thou art come a teacher from God: for no man can do these signs which thou dost, unless God be with him. Jesus answered, and said to him: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith to him: How can a man be born again, when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born again? Jesus answered: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh, is flesh: and that which is born of the spirit, is spirit. Wonder not that I said to thee, you must be born again. The Spirit breatheth where he will: and thou hearest his voice, but thou knowest not whence he cometh, nor whither he goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered, and said to him: How can these things be done? Jesus answered, and said to him: Art thou a master in Israel, and knowest not these things? Amen, amen I say to thee, that we speak what we know, and we testify what we have seen, and you receive not our testimony. If I have spoken to you earthly things, and you believe not; how will you believe if I shall speak to you heavenly things? And no man hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended from heaven, the Son of Man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in him may not perish, but may have life everlasting.

SHORT EXPLANATION. Jesus in this gospel speaks of the regeneration of our souls, which depends upon faith in the Son of God, and especially in His death of reconciliation on the cross. In this regeneration the Holy Ghost, by His grace, effects that in us which Christ won for us on the cross. Let us not, then, be led away by the seducing words of this world and its followers from faith in Christ, the Son of God, but, penetrated and renewed by His spirit, become worthy to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Why is the Cross so highly venerated?

Because it is the altar on which Christ offered Himself for us, the instrument with which He accomplished our redemption, the victorious banner sprinkled with the blood of Christ, which conquered the devil and overcomes sin.

Are we permitted to adore the Cross of Christ?

By no means, for adoration belongs to God only. When the Church in venerating the Cross uses words which imply adoration, or, as in the preceding prayer, ascribes salvation to it, the words refer to Christ who redeemed us on the Cross, and who therefore deserves the most grateful adoration.

How do we best venerate the Cross of Christ?

By signing ourselves openly with the sign of the Cross, and by never being ashamed to show it true veneration; by loving the Cross, that is, by patiently, cheerfully, and with pleasure bearing the afflictions God sends us, and according to the doctrine and example of Christ, by daily taking up our cross and following Him. (Luke ix. 23.)

Why are crosses erected on highways and other places?

In order to remind us continually of Christ and His sufferings, and to encourage us to grateful love of Him, for St. Paul says: Looking on Jesus the author and finisher of faith, who having joy set before him, endured the Cross, despising the shame, and now sitteth on the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb. xii. 2.)

Why is the cross carried in public processions?

To show before the whole world that we are not ashamed of the Cross of Christ, but rather, like St. Paul, glory in it. But God forbid, that I should glory, save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. (Gal. vi. 14.)

Are our opponents wrong in being such enemies of the Cross, and on that account condemning us?

They are very wrong, for they thus condemn Christ Himself who for love of us bore the Cross, and they place themselves among those of whom St. Paul says: For many walk, of whom I have told you often (and now tell you weeping) that they are enemies of the Cross of Christ, (Phil. iii. 18, 19.) whose end is destruction.

Why do we sign ourselves with the sign of the Cross?

To testify that we are Christians and worshipers of Christ Crucified, and have no fellowship with the enemies of the Cross of Christ; to profess our faith in the Most Holy Trinity; to honor, and prove our grateful remembrance of the sufferings and death of Christ, who redeemed us and obtained all good things for us by His death on the Cross; to overcome the devil and his temptations, for he hates the Cross, and is banished by nothing more quickly than by the sign of the Cross; to perform all our under takings happily in the name of Jesus, and to be preserved by Christ's merits from all harm of body and soul.

Is the making of the sign of the Cross an old custom?

The earliest Fathers of the Church mention this custom, and say it originated with the apostles. St. Nicephorus informs us that St. John the Evangelist signed himself with the sign of the Cross; Tertullian (A. D. :60) urges the Christians to make the sign of the Cross when coming in and going out, when dressing, at table, in their rooms, when sitting down, and before every undertaking. St. Ephrem (+A. D. 378) writes: "Arm thyself with the sign of the Cross as with a shield, sign all thy members and thy heart, but sign thyself not only with thy hand, but with thy mind. Thy work, thy coming in and thy going out, thy bed, and the ground over which thou dost pass, sign every thing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; for these are the strongest weapons."

Why do the priests make the sign of the Cross over the people at divine service?

That the abundant blessings of grace which Christ has obtained for us, may be imparted to the Christians, as St. Paul says: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with spiritual blessings in heavenly places, in Christ. (Ephes. i. 3.) A type of this custom was given by the Patriarch Jacob, when with crossed hands he blessed Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. This is a very old custom in the Church; the Council of Agade in the year 506 directed, that after prayers the people should be dismissed by the priest with the sign of the Cross.

Behold, O kind and most sweet Jesus, I cast myself on my knees in Thy sight, and with the most fervent desire of my soul I pray and beseech Thee that Thou wouldst impress upon my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope and charity, with true repentance for my sins, and a firm desire of amendment, whilst with deep affection and grief of soul I ponder within myself, and mentally contemplate Thy five precious wounds: having before my eyes that which David spoke in prophecy: "They pierced my hands and my feet; they have numbered all my bones."

Consider first, that on this day the church of God, to honour the passion of Christ, celebrates the yearly memorial of the finding of the cross, that sacred instrument of our redemption, sanctified by the blood of the Son of God. This holy tree of life had lain long deep buried in the earth, and a statue of Venus had been erected by the infidels over the place; when the pious empress St. Helen was inspired to seek after it, and at length happily discovered it, together with the title that had been fastened to it, and the nails with which our Lord had been pierced. This discovery of the cross of Christ was followed by illustrious miracles, to the greater glory of His name, who had humbled Himself to the death of the cross for our redemption. Give thanks, Christians, for this miraculous finding of the cross of your redeemer. Turn this day your devotion towards the triumphs of His sacred passion; it was by the cross He was lifted up from the earth, and beginning His reign from that tree, He drew all things to Himself. O beg of Him now by all us mercy to draw at least your poor hearts to him!

Consider 2ndly, the lessons we are to learn by occasion of this festival; especially the dispositions we ought to be in with regard to the cross. If we have not the courage to seek it like St. Helen, at least we ought to receive it, when, without our seeking it, it comes to us from the hand of Providence; and to lay it upon our shoulders in order to follow Him who redeemed us by the cross. O! if we did but know the measures of grace and of comfort here, and of heavenly glory hereafter, which are laid up for us in the cross, we should not only submit to it with patience, but embrace it with joy, as the inexhaustible source of all good both for time and eternity. Christians, assure yourselves there is no going to Heaven without a cross upon your shoulders. We must suffer with Christ before we can reign with Him.

Consider 3rdly, that the cross is the school of all Christian virtues. As our Lord was pleased to give us most excellent lessons of them all from His cross, so He gives us the means and opportunity of exercising them all in the carriage of our crosses which He allots us. Here we learn to imitate His perfect conformity to the will of his Father; here we learn to practise His humility, by humbling ourselves under the hand of God; here we learn the practice of His meekness, His patience, His charity for His enemies, and His obedience unto death; and (which is hardest of all for us to attain to) His preferring in practice the poverty, pain, and ignominy of the cross, before all the riches, pleasures, and honours of this world. O blessed school in which we learn such heavenly lessons!

Conclude, if thou wouldst be a true disciple of Jesus Christ, not to fly from the cross, but to take it up willingly, wheresoever thou findest it, and to follow Him. O never be of the number of those unhappy Christians whom the apostle laments as enemies of the cross of Christ; who, by indulging their passions and lusts, seek to bury the cross under the statue of Venus.

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