24th Sunday Year C Exaltation of the Holy Cross

14th September 2025

In celebrating the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, our hearts overflow with profound wonder at the magnificent transformation wrought by our Saviour! What once stood as humanity's cruellest instrument of torture has become, through Christ's ultimate sacrifice, our most sacred symbol of triumph and eternal life. It leaves us breathless that Jesus transformed this symbol of degradation into the Tree of Life!

Saint Helena's divinely-inspired journey to Jerusalem led her to uncover the precious Cross upon which our Lord poured out His lifeblood for our redemption.

Our pride in Jesus knows no bounds! He who could have called legions of angels to his aid chose the agony of crucifixion instead, bearing our sins, our shame, and our separation from God. The immensity of His sacrifice—the Son of God willingly embracing such suffering—leaves us breathless with gratitude.

Constantine's magnificent churches, rising from those holy grounds, stand as eternal monuments to our Saviour’s victory. From Jerusalem to the world, this feast proclaims our deepest truth: in Christ's Cross, death itself died, and we found everlasting life!

Jesus gives himself again with all his gifts

and now we give him something in return.

He gave the earth that bears, the air that lifts,

water to cleanse and cool, fire to burn,

and from these elements he forged the iron,

from strands of life, he wove the growing wood,

he made the stones that pave the roads of Zion.

He saw it all and saw that it is good.

We took his iron to edge an axe’s blade,

we took the axe and laid it to the tree,

we made a cross of all that he has made,

and laid it on the one who makes us free.

Now he receives again and lifts on high

the gifts he gave and we have turned awry.  Malcolm Guite.

By Fr. Thomas O'Brien a.a.