It’s a big day for me today, which is Holy Cross Day, as I’m a priest of the Society of the Holy Cross.
Today, 14th September, is the day we celebrate Jesus’s death away from Good Friday. Keeping of Holy Cross day came from fourth century worship in Jerusalem in the years just after Christianity was made legal by Emperor Constantine.
The lifting of Christ upon the Cross draws us like a magnet towards the divine mercy. It is represented in Luke's account by the Lord’s plea for his executioners, 'Father, forgive them'. That plea ascends for us and for all from the foundation of the world to its consummation. Like any word of God it has transformative power and we find that power in confession and absolution.
One of my greatest privileges as a priest is to pronounce words of absolution to penitent sinners, as from Christ's Cross, by his authority vested in me - and to hear those words for myself in confession. Although the forgiveness won for us by the Cross and resurrection can come through prayer or scripture, the one to one encounter with a minister of absolution provides powerful assurance.
‘Father, forgive them’. The most effective Christians are those who live knowing their day to day need of that forgiveness granted us from the Cross. There atonement was made once for all between sinners and a holy yet loving God through the lifting of his Son on Calvary.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
