Ukrainian Catholic ChurchAustralia, New Zealand and Oceania
Homily by Deacon Vitalii Leheta on the Third Sunday of the Great Lent: The Veneration of the Holy Cross
March 2, 2024
Let us invite God into our lives and walk with Him! Remember that from the Holy Cross flows great power onto us, for on it, the Son of God died to restore the joy of heaven to us.
“Enlighten, O Cross of the Lord, the hearts of those who revere you and receive you with godly love, the hope of the world, with the bright rays of your grace. You wiped away tears of sadness, and we freed ourselves from the trap of death and attained endless joy. Therefore, show the majesty of your beauty and give a reward for restraint to your servants who faithfully beg for your great intercession and generous mercy.”
(Stychyra of Vespers).
Dear brothers and sisters!
Reflecting on today’s celebration, we can say that one of the most widespread Christian symbols is the Holy Cross. The cross carries many symbolic meanings: it is a symbol of happiness, God’s love for us, victory over evil forces, a spiritual weapon, a source of spiritual strength, and a symbol of protection and defense. In the history of Christianity, the cross is known, in particular, as a safeguard against spiritual and physical evil. The Holy Cross was also highly revered among the early Christians. The first known references date back to the 2nd century, and it is represented by a staurogram, which consists of two Greek letters, τ (tau) and ρ (rho), forming the figure of the holy cross. The cross protected and still protects homes and the lives of people; it is a symbol of human salvation. Salvation, which we often speak of, means the renewal of human nature, which was obscured by sin and subjected to the power of death. And only He, who created us, God, could accomplish this transformation. Neither angels nor humans could deify humanity on their own, so to sanctify it, it was necessary to overcome sin in human nature, and thus death as a consequence of sin. “For since by man came death, by man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:21–22).
The crucifixion of Jesus became the greatest sacrifice on earth and the highest manifestation of God’s love for humanity. Let us always remember this, especially on this Sunday of the Exaltation of the Cross, when we bow down, giving glory to the Crucified One. Honouring the Holy Cross reminds us of this sacrifice and, at the same time, invites us to be filled with the divine spirit of love for God and neighbour, following the example of our Lord. The question arises: “How can we achieve this state of theosis—deification?” And we can do this quite simply. When we perform all our spiritual exercises not out of duty but in the Christian understanding of God’s need in my life, if we sacrifice time for personal prayer, participation in worship, and other deeds of Christian righteousness, then God will not delay in rewarding us even here on earth. By doing this for the glory of God, we will undoubtedly receive something more.
Let us invite God into our lives and walk with Him! Remember that from the Holy Cross flows great power onto us, for on it, the Son of God died to restore the joy of heaven to us. Therefore, in various circumstances of our lives, let us never lose hope in the Lord. Let us not turn our eyes away from the crucified Jesus. Let us kneel with reverence before the life-giving tree of the Holy Cross and implore the Saviour with the words, “Save us, Lord, by Your Holy Cross! Amen.”
