SANCTI CRUCIS

SCRUTATIO SCRIPTURAE

SANCTI CRUCIS

Scrutatio

for the

FEAST OF THE EXALTATION OF THE MOST HOLY CROSS

(September 14, 2012 Saturday)

Readings from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer

Isaiah 45:21-25 / Psalm 98 / Philippians 2:5-11 or Galatians 6:14-18 / John 12:31-36a

Readings for the Pauline/Vatican II Rite of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

Numbers 21: 4b-9 / Psalm 78:1bc-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38. / Philippians 2:6-11 / John 3:13-17

Readings for the Tridentine Rite of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

Introit: Galatians 6:14 and Psalm 67:1

Epistle: Philippians 2:5-11

Gradual and Alleluia: Philippians 2:8-9Alleluia, alleluia.V.: Sweet the wood, sweet the nails, sweet the load that hangs on thee: thou only wast worthy to bear up the King and Lord of heaven. Alleluia.

Gospel

John 12:31-36

Offertory:

By the sign of the holy Cross, O Lord, protect Thy people from the wiles of all our enemies that we may be able to do Thee worthy service, and that our sacrifice may be well-pleasing in Thy sight. Alleluia.

Communion Antiphon:

By the sign of the Cross, deliver us from our enemies, O Thou our God.

For today's Feast, let us meditate on this 8th Century A.D. homily of Bishop Andrew of Crete entitled:

 

THE CROSS IS CHRIST'S GLORY AND TRIUMPH

We are celebrating the feast of the cross which drove away darkness and brought in the light. As we keep this feast, we are lifted up with the crucified Christ, leaving behind us earth and sin so that we may gain the things above. So great and outstanding a possession is the cross that he who wins it has won a treasure. Rightly could I call this treasure the fairest of all fair things and the costliest, in fact as well as in name, for on it and through it and for its sake the riches of salvation that had been lost were restored to us.

Had there been no cross, Christ could not have been crucified. Had there been no cross, life itself could not have been nailed to the tree. And if life had not been nailed to it, there would be no streams of immortality pouring from Christ’s side, blood and water for the world’s cleansing. The legal bond of our sin would not be cancelled, we should not have attained our freedom, we should not have enjoyed the fruit of the tree of life and the gates of paradise would not stand open. Had there been no cross, death would not have been trodden underfoot, nor hell despoiled.

Therefore, the cross is something wonderfully great and honorable. It is great because through the cross the many noble acts of Christ found their consummation—very many indeed, for both his miracles and his sufferings were fully rewarded with victory. The cross is honorable because it is both the sign of God’s suffering and the trophy of his victory. It stands for his suffering because on it he freely suffered unto death. But it is also his trophy because it was the means by which the devil was wounded and death conquered; the barred gates of hell were smashed, and the cross became the one common salvation of the whole world.

The cross is called Christ’s glory; it is saluted as his triumph. We recognize it as the cup he longed to drink and the climax of the sufferings he endured for our sake. As to the cross being Christ’s glory, listen to his words: Now is the Son of Man glorified, and in him God is glorified, and God will glorify him at once. And again:Father, glorify me with the glory I had with you before the world came to be. And once more: Father, glorify your name. Then a voice came from heaven: I have glorified it and I will glorify it again. Here he speaks of the glory that would accrue to him through the cross. And if you would understand that the cross is Christ’s triumph, hear what he himself also said: When I am lifted up, then I will draw all men to myself. Now you can see that the cross is Christ’s glory and triumph. 

The CROSS OF CHRIST is also OUR GLORY AND TRIUMPH!

Therefore, let us DENY OURSELVES! TAKE UP HIS CROSS! AND FOLLOW HIM!

O God I Love you,
not simply to be saved,
and not because those who fail in love to you
will be punished with eternal fire.

You, you, my JESUS, have all-embraced me on the cross.

You have borne the nails, the lance, much ignominy,
numberless griefs, sweatings and anguish, and death,
and these on account of me and for me, a sinner.

Why therefore, should I not love you,

O, most loving JESUS?

Not that in heaven you shall save me,

nor lest for eternity you shall condemn me;

not with the hope of any reward,

but as you have loved me, so also will I love you,

only because you are my King,

and because you are my God. 

St. Francis Xavier S.J.