EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS
Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven columns …. she calls from the heights out over the city: “Let whoever is naive turn in here; to any who lack sense I say, Come, eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.”
When the priest elevates the Holy Cross on this feast, the first word he says is “Wisdom!” This is more than just a ritual instruction. We say “Wisdom” before a reading of Holy Scripture, before the words of God and before our profession of faith. It tells us: “Here is the true meaning of our faith, here is the understanding beyond comprehension of God’s creative love.”
In the Letter to the Corinthians read today, St. Paul tells us what God’s wisdom is: “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God …. we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” (1 Corinthians 1:18.25) With our human minds and powers we say that wisdom is in smarts, power is in strength, glory belongs to the strong. But to stand before the Cross in faith is to become aware of what fools we are.
God delights in true wisdom, in divine weakness and foolishness. St. James tells us, “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity. (James 3:17)”
Again, to the Philippians St. Paul says: “Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus … he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name. (Philippians 2:5-9)”
Through what seems humility, weakness, and foolishness to the world, we find God’s glory and life. Therefore, today we sing, “We bow to your Cross, O Lord —– and we glorify your holy resurrection!!!”
Meditation by Archpriest David Petras