We are all blessed by this glorious feast day today! We all have our crosses and I know I often want to put it down and even run from it at times. Todays feast day and the wonderful readings from the Morning Prayer of Church remind me that it is only through and because of The Cross that my salvation. Is attainable. It is through my own crosses that I can be in union with Christ and through my own cross and suffering I too can find my strength and glory. Courage! Thirty years among us dwelling, His appointed time fulfilled, Born for this, he meets his Passion, For that this he freely willed: On the Cross, the Lamb is lifted, Where his life-blood shall be spilled. He endured the nails, the spitting, Vinegar, and spear, and reed; From that holy Body broken Blood and water, both proceed: Earth, and stars, and sky, and ocean By that flood from stain are freed. Faithful Cross! above all other, One and only noble Tree! None in foliage, none in blossom, None in fruit thy peers may be; Sweetest wood and sweetest iron! Sweetest Weight is hung on thee. Bend thy boughs, O Tree of Glory! Thy relaxing sinews bend; For a while the ancient rigour That thy birth bestowed, suspend; And the King of heavenly beauty On thy bosom gently tend! Thou alone wast counted worthy This world’s ransom to uphold; For a shipwrecked race preparing Harbour, like the Ark of old; With the sacred Blood anointed From the smitten Lamb that rolled. To the Trinity be glory, Everlasting, as is meet; Equal to the Father, equal To the Son and Paraclete: Trinal Unity, whose praises All created things repeat. The holy cross shines upon us. In the cross is victory, in the cross is power. By the cross every sin is overcome. Alleluia. Scripture Reading Hebrews 2:9-10 © We have seen Jesus crowned with glory and splendour because he submitted to death; by God’s grace he had to experience death for all mankind. As it was his purpose to bring a great many of his sons into glory, it was appropriate that God, for whom everything exists and through whom everything exists, should make perfect, through suffering, the leader who would take them to their salvation. Son of God, you were raised up to draw all men to yourself: may we never run away from our cross, but suffer it gladly in union with you. – Lord, we find glory in your cross.
