The
Feast of the Cross
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
The Feast of the Cross
On Monday, 19th March the Church will celebrate the
Feast of the Cross. Indeed the Cross of
Christ was not an accident or just a historical fact, but it was planned from
God beforehand and before the foundation of the world.
St. Peter says: “You were not redeemed with
corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct…but with the
precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the
foundation of the world, but was manifested in these last times for you.” (1 Peter 1:18; Acts 2:22-24).
There are many symbols, shadows and types of the
Lord’s Cross and redemption in the books of the Old Testament:
1.
Abraham sacrificing his son Isaac (Genesis 22)
This event is a living symbol of God’s salvation,
through the Cross. The Church meditates
on that event on Covenant Thursday liturgy, remembering the offering of Isaac
as a sacrifice during the fraction of the Lamb.
The wood of the burnt offering that Isaac carried till he reached the
place of offering (Mount Moria) was a symbol of the cross carried by Christ on
the way to Golgotha.
Isaac (the sacrifice) was the only son of Abraham, and so the Lord Jesus is the
only Son of the Father. Thus, the Lord
said to Nicodemus: “God so loved the
world that He gave His only begotten Son.”
(John 3:16). St. Paul also
said: “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us
all.” (Romans 8:32).
After the three days walk to that mount, Isaac returned back alive with his
father; likewise is the resurrection of our Lord Jesus on the third day. St. Clement of Alexandria said: “Abraham’s
soul was comforted on the third day, when he knew the mystery of the
resurrection of the crucified, and he rejoiced as he saw it in his son.” (John 8:56).
2.
The Heavenly Ladder of Jacob (Genesis 28:12-22).
This ladder is a symbol of the Cross of our Lord. St. Jerome said: “By faith we ascend
through the Cross to enjoy the heavenly glory.
The Cross of our Saviour is the ladder of Jacob, on which he saw the
angels descending and ascending. This
vision happened when Jacob was on his way to his Uncle to take for himself a
wife. Thus, our Lord Jesus Christ (the
actual Jacob) was crucified and died on the Cross (the ladder) before taking to
Himself His Church. He offered His blood
on the Cross as a dowry for His Kingdom.”
3.
The Passover Lamb (Exodus 12:3-7).
The Passover Lamb was roasted in fire on two crossed iron rods, resembling the
Cross. After the Passover, the
Israelites were freed from Pharaoh’s slavery.
Our Lord is our Passover who was sacrificed for us. (1 Corinthians 5:7) and He suffered the fiery
agony of crucifixion to pay our debts to the divine justice, and freed us from
the slavery of Satan.
4.
The Rod of Moses (Exodus 14:15-29).
Moses lifted up his rod and stretched his hand over the Red Sea and divided it,
and the Israelites passed over it and were saved from Pharaoh and his
horsemen. Our Lord Jesus stretched His
hands on Calvary and struck Satan by the wood of the Cross (the Rod), saying: “It
is finished.” (John 19:30). Christ descended into Hades and saved mankind
from eternal death. When we believe in
Christ’s crucifixion we go through the baptismal water (the Red Sea), as was
said by St. Paul: “All were baptized
into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.”
(1 Corinthians 10:2). While
we are in the wilderness of this world, we follow our Saviour, as the
Israelites followed Moses,till we enter the promised
heavenly Jerusalem.
5.
The Green Tree Cast by Moses into the Bitter Water
in Marah (Exodus 15:23-25).
The Lord asked Moses to cast the tree into the bitter waters in Marah and the
water was made sweet, and the people could drink. The tree resembles the Cross, as without it
and without believing in the crucified Christ, man would perish by the
bitterness of sin. Also, through the
power of the Cross (the Green Tree) we can fulfill the commandments of God, and
their seeming difficulty is turned to ease.
6.
The Defeat of Amalek by Moses’ Prayers and
Stretched Hands (Exodus 17:10-15).
When the Israelites started to fight Amalek (the Giants), Moses stretched his
hands in the shape of the Cross, till they defeated Amalek. It was written: “Aaron and Hur supported
his hands one on one side and the other on the other side and his hands were
steady until the going down of the sun.
So Joshua defeated Amalek.”
(Exodus 17:12-13). The same,
when Christ stretched His hands on the Cross, He defeated Satan (Amalek), and
saved us from eternal death and He will lead us in triumph (2 Corinthians 2:14)
and we will be more than conquerors.
7.
The Bronze Serpent on a Pole (Numbers 21:4-9)
The Lord sent the fiery serpents among the people and they bit them and many of
the people died. When the people came to
Moses and admitted their sins against God and Moses, he prayed for them and the
Lord told him to make a bronze serpent and set it on a pole and whoever was
bitten would be healed, when he looked to the bronze serpent (Numbers 21:4-9).
Lifting the bronze serpent on a pole was a symbol of the death of Christ on the
Cross. All those who believe in the Lord
Jesus and His Cross receive salvation, and are saved from eternal death. When the Lord said to Nicodemus: “As Moses
lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” He added: “Whoever
believes in Him (who was lifted up on the Cross) should not perish, but have
everlasting life.” So, the fiery
serpents that killed many people are Satan,, the old
serpent, who killed many with his poison, and all who were slain by him were
strong men (Proverbs 7:26).
8.
Blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh
”And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand towards Israel’s
left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand towards Israel’s right hand, and
brought them near him. Then Israel
stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger
and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands knowingly for Manasseh
as the first born.” (Genesis 48:13-14). In so doing, Jacob formed the sign of the
Cross by both arms. This
prophesy is read on the third hour of Good Friday.
At the offertory the priest stretches his hands to select the Lamb in exactly
the same manner as Jacob, for the chosen Lamb will be converted to the Body of
Christ. This blessing of the Cross is
used by the priest in the final phase of the wedding ceremony as the Bride and
Groom kneel before the altar.
9.
The Iron Float
During the time of Elisha the Prophet, some men were felling the trees and
lopping the branches, a rod of iron fell into the water. They all started to
shout and sought the advice of Elisha the Prophet, a man of God. He advised that they throw a log of timber
into the water and the rod of iron would float (2 Kings 6:1-7). With the wooden Cross, we carry everything
that is heavy, floats and thus breaking the law of nature. Whatever is impossible for man is possible
for God (Luke 18:27).
We encourage you to attend the
vespers of the Cross on Sunday night and participate in the heavenly procession
and attend the Holy Liturgy and partake in Holy Communion which is the
sacrifice of the Cross.
Please pray for me.
Your servant
Father Matthew
