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The Glorious Feast of the Cross
The Glorious Feast of the Cross
H.H. POPE SHENOUDA III
The Church celebrates the feast of the Cross twice every year, on March 19th and September 27th. On the feast of the Cross we remember many vital matters: spiritual, theological, doctrinal and symbolic.
We remember the love with which Christ loved us- to the point where He died for our sake.
We remember His words, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." Sacrifice is the greatest sign of love, and self-sacrifice is the summit of sacrifice.
In the Cross we remember also Redemption.
A soul that dies for another soul, this is the principle of atonement. We were under the judgment of death, then came He who would die for us in "order for us to live. His death on the Cross can be described as follows, "All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way,. And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6).
In the Cross we remember endurance.
The great sufferings that our Master endured, whether the sufferings of the flesh of which He said, "They pierced My hands and My feet,' I can count all My bones", or the sufferings of dishonour, He endured happily for our sake; that is, whilst He was happy with our salvation. Hence, the Apostle said about Him, "...who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame..." (Hebrews 12:2). How great then is this endurance if it is with joy?! This is a lesson for us.
In the Cross we remember forgiveness;
how our sins were forgiven on the Cross and how the Master spoke to the Heavenly Father whilst on the Cross saying, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34).
In making the sign of the Cross we remember the Holy Trinity, the One God.
This is because we make the sign of the cross whilst saying, 'In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, One God; Amen'. Hence, the Cross carries a theological meaning.
In the Cross we remember the Incarnation and its aim.
We remember whilst making the sign of the cross how the Lord came down from heaven to earth to transfer us from the left to the right, from darkness to light and from death to life.
In the Cross we remember our sins.
Our sins that He carried on the Cross and for which He was incarnated and crucified. With this remembrance we are humbled and our souls contrited, and we are thankful for the price which He paid for our sakes, "For you were bought at a price" (1 Corinthians 6:20).
In the cross we remember Divine Justice;
that forgiveness was not on account of justice, but Divine Justice fulfilled its right on the Cross. Therefore, we must not underestimate sin, which has such a price.
When we remember the Cross, we remember the great power that defeated the devil.
All of the devil's effort to destroy mankind was completely lost on the Cross with the redemption which the Lord offered. Hence, the devil is extremely terrified of the -Cross. On the other hand, we fmd in it safety and protection, that is why we remember the Apostle's words, "But God forbid that I should glory 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).
In the remembrance of the Cross, we remember how we should be crucified with Him.
As the Apostle said, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20). We also remember the Lord Jesus Christ saying, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself; and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Mark 8:34).
ya sorry a bit late but u can always remember it for next year
H.H. POPE SHENOUDA III
The Church celebrates the feast of the Cross twice every year, on March 19th and September 27th. On the feast of the Cross we remember many vital matters: spiritual, theological, doctrinal and symbolic.
We remember the love with which Christ loved us- to the point where He died for our sake.
We remember His words, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." Sacrifice is the greatest sign of love, and self-sacrifice is the summit of sacrifice.
In the Cross we remember also Redemption.
A soul that dies for another soul, this is the principle of atonement. We were under the judgment of death, then came He who would die for us in "order for us to live. His death on the Cross can be described as follows, "All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way,. And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6).
In the Cross we remember endurance.
The great sufferings that our Master endured, whether the sufferings of the flesh of which He said, "They pierced My hands and My feet,' I can count all My bones", or the sufferings of dishonour, He endured happily for our sake; that is, whilst He was happy with our salvation. Hence, the Apostle said about Him, "...who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame..." (Hebrews 12:2). How great then is this endurance if it is with joy?! This is a lesson for us.
In the Cross we remember forgiveness;
how our sins were forgiven on the Cross and how the Master spoke to the Heavenly Father whilst on the Cross saying, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34).
In making the sign of the Cross we remember the Holy Trinity, the One God.
This is because we make the sign of the cross whilst saying, 'In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, One God; Amen'. Hence, the Cross carries a theological meaning.
In the Cross we remember the Incarnation and its aim.
We remember whilst making the sign of the cross how the Lord came down from heaven to earth to transfer us from the left to the right, from darkness to light and from death to life.
In the Cross we remember our sins.
Our sins that He carried on the Cross and for which He was incarnated and crucified. With this remembrance we are humbled and our souls contrited, and we are thankful for the price which He paid for our sakes, "For you were bought at a price" (1 Corinthians 6:20).
In the cross we remember Divine Justice;
that forgiveness was not on account of justice, but Divine Justice fulfilled its right on the Cross. Therefore, we must not underestimate sin, which has such a price.
When we remember the Cross, we remember the great power that defeated the devil.
All of the devil's effort to destroy mankind was completely lost on the Cross with the redemption which the Lord offered. Hence, the devil is extremely terrified of the -Cross. On the other hand, we fmd in it safety and protection, that is why we remember the Apostle's words, "But God forbid that I should glory 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).
In the remembrance of the Cross, we remember how we should be crucified with Him.
As the Apostle said, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20). We also remember the Lord Jesus Christ saying, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself; and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Mark 8:34).
ya sorry a bit late but u can always remember it for next year