The Feast of Exaltation of the Glorious Cross
A New Maronite Syriac Liturgical Year- the Season of the Exaltation of the Glorious Cross
With the Feast of the triumph of the cross, we begin a new season, which is the final season of the Liturgical Year. It begins on 14 September and lasts for seven weeks ending the liturgical calendar in the Maronite Church. During this season, we reflect on the meaning of the cross and we are reminded that the cross is a bridge from death to life. We contemplate on the salvation gift that Jesus has given us in His suffering, death and resurrection.
Gospel-John 12: 20-32
The Cross- A way of life
In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches the law of life: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” Sacrifice is not an end but a beginning, and the Cross is the path to resurrection. As Jesus says, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” The Cross is more than a symbol of suffering; it is a beacon of salvation, drawing the whole world to Christ’s boundless love.
The Cross reveals that pain and death are not punishment but avenues to glory. In the passion and death of Jesus, the light of resurrection shines; His death bears abundant fruit. Through Him, and with Him, our own crosses become a path to eternal life.
The Cross and the Resurrection are inseparable: the very wood that bore death becomes the tree of life.
For us, the Cross is not merely a sign to wear on our chest; it is a way of life. It teaches perseverance in trial, hope in darkness, and trust in God’s promises. It is a bridge between heaven and earth, and a seedbed of new beginnings. By letting Christ draw us to Himself, we are transformed into witnesses of His eternal love.
The saints remind us of the richness of this mystery. John Chrysostom calls the Cross a bridge for crossing, Ephrem the Syrian sees it as a furrow that prepares the soil of our hearts, John Climacus describes it as a ladder to ascend toward grace, and Saint Thérèse of Lisieux likens it to a lift carrying us to higher spiritual realms.
The Cross, therefore, is both the path of suffering and the source of life. Through it, we encounter God’s love in its fullness, learn the art of self-giving, and share in the victory of Christ over sin and death.
The Cross as a Seed of Transformation
Jesus links His cross with the grain of wheat that must fall and die to bear fruit. The cross is less a “tombstone” and more a “seedbed.” From it springs resurrection, hope, and growth. For today’s world — which wants instant results — the cross teaches patience: real transformation happens underground, in silence and over time.
The Cross: Our Way
Life pulls us in countless directions — chasing success, wealth, popularity, or pleasure. Yet the Cross points upward, reminding us where true meaning is found. Greatness is not measured by stepping above others, but by stooping low to lift them. The Cross becomes our compass, steadying us when we are lost, guiding us back to Christ — the horizon of love and the heart of our lives.
Thought of the week-Light the Fire
Traditionally, Maronites in Lebanon would light fires on hilltops the night before the feast. Even in the darkest night, the Cross lights our path.
This year, as we venerate the Cross, let us carry it in our hearts and wear it as a signpost — guiding us toward healing, toward hope, and toward resurrection.
September 14- Feast of the Exaltation of the Glorious Cross
The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross recalls three events:
1. The finding of the True Cross by Saint Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine; which had been placed on Mt. Calvary by St. Helena and preserved in Jerusalem, but then had fallen into the hands of Chosroas, King of the Persians.
2. The dedication of churches built by Constantine on the site of the Holy Sepulchre and Mount Calvary.
3. The recovery and return of the cross to Jerusalem by Emperor Heraclius on September 14, 628. It is said that the Emperor, dressed in his royal vestments, carried the cross through the streets of Jerusalem. He was stopped by the Patriarch who demanded that he remove his vestments in order to become more like the scorned Christ. The Emperor agreed and walked through the streets barefooted. A crowd of the faithful accompanied him and prostrated before the holy cross.
With the Feast of the triumph of the cross, we begin a new season, which is the final season of the Liturgical Year. It begins on 14 September and lasts for seven weeks ending the liturgical calendar in the Maronite Church. During this season, we reflect on the meaning of the cross and we are reminded that the cross is a bridge from death to life. We contemplate on the salvation gift that Jesus has given us in His suffering, death and resurrection.
Gospel-John 12: 20-32
The Cross- A way of life
In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches the law of life: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” Sacrifice is not an end but a beginning, and the Cross is the path to resurrection. As Jesus says, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” The Cross is more than a symbol of suffering; it is a beacon of salvation, drawing the whole world to Christ’s boundless love.
The Cross reveals that pain and death are not punishment but avenues to glory. In the passion and death of Jesus, the light of resurrection shines; His death bears abundant fruit. Through Him, and with Him, our own crosses become a path to eternal life.
The Cross and the Resurrection are inseparable: the very wood that bore death becomes the tree of life.
For us, the Cross is not merely a sign to wear on our chest; it is a way of life. It teaches perseverance in trial, hope in darkness, and trust in God’s promises. It is a bridge between heaven and earth, and a seedbed of new beginnings. By letting Christ draw us to Himself, we are transformed into witnesses of His eternal love.
The saints remind us of the richness of this mystery. John Chrysostom calls the Cross a bridge for crossing, Ephrem the Syrian sees it as a furrow that prepares the soil of our hearts, John Climacus describes it as a ladder to ascend toward grace, and Saint Thérèse of Lisieux likens it to a lift carrying us to higher spiritual realms.
The Cross, therefore, is both the path of suffering and the source of life. Through it, we encounter God’s love in its fullness, learn the art of self-giving, and share in the victory of Christ over sin and death.
The Cross as a Seed of Transformation
Jesus links His cross with the grain of wheat that must fall and die to bear fruit. The cross is less a “tombstone” and more a “seedbed.” From it springs resurrection, hope, and growth. For today’s world — which wants instant results — the cross teaches patience: real transformation happens underground, in silence and over time.
The Cross: Our Way
Life pulls us in countless directions — chasing success, wealth, popularity, or pleasure. Yet the Cross points upward, reminding us where true meaning is found. Greatness is not measured by stepping above others, but by stooping low to lift them. The Cross becomes our compass, steadying us when we are lost, guiding us back to Christ — the horizon of love and the heart of our lives.
Thought of the week-Light the Fire
Traditionally, Maronites in Lebanon would light fires on hilltops the night before the feast. Even in the darkest night, the Cross lights our path.
This year, as we venerate the Cross, let us carry it in our hearts and wear it as a signpost — guiding us toward healing, toward hope, and toward resurrection.
September 14- Feast of the Exaltation of the Glorious Cross
The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross recalls three events:
1. The finding of the True Cross by Saint Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine; which had been placed on Mt. Calvary by St. Helena and preserved in Jerusalem, but then had fallen into the hands of Chosroas, King of the Persians.
2. The dedication of churches built by Constantine on the site of the Holy Sepulchre and Mount Calvary.
3. The recovery and return of the cross to Jerusalem by Emperor Heraclius on September 14, 628. It is said that the Emperor, dressed in his royal vestments, carried the cross through the streets of Jerusalem. He was stopped by the Patriarch who demanded that he remove his vestments in order to become more like the scorned Christ. The Emperor agreed and walked through the streets barefooted. A crowd of the faithful accompanied him and prostrated before the holy cross.