LIVING BY FAITH IN CHRIST WHO WAS CRUCIFIED FOR US – Homily on Sunday after Exaltation of the Cross

23^RD LORD’S SUNDAY FROM RESURRECTION (Gal 2:16 – 20, Mk 8:34 – 9:1)

Due to the pestilence of Covid19, this year we celebrated in fear the feast of 14^th September, the day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in our life. Exceedingly however, we require the exaltation of the Cross. For otherwise, we all will become profligate of a certain pestilence in our society, as noticed all over the world.

On this day, Sunday after the Exaltation, we continue with the lessons concerning the Cross in our Christian living. Although the Sunday itself in counted as 23^rd from the resurrection, we study special appointed readings (above), instead of the formal passages.

34 Christ Jesus told his disciples and the people: “If any person would like to come with me, he or she must deny himself or herself and carry his or her cross and follow me! 35 For whoever wants to save his or her life will lose it, but whoever loses his or her life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 what good is it for a person to gain the whole world, yet he or she loses himself or herself? 37 Or what can a person give in exchange for himself or herself? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my teaching in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him or her, when He comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels”. 9:1 And He said to them. “I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power”. (Those who saw the kingdom were Peter, James, and John. Mk 9:2-13)

The above passage of Christ the Lord must be understood and practiced as conversion, repentance, patience and penance Mk 1:15, in three major stages:

One, as turning or change of the person internally, from a faithless state unto faithful faithfulness in Christ the Word and Savior. Two, being faithful, to cease limiting oneself only in the physical well-being, but desire for eternal life by investing in spiritual virtues, not just physical properties and social honors. Three, having taken such turn towards the process of living, to go beyond the state of simply keeping the rules or laws, as the Young rich man did (Mt 19: 16-26), but put the confidence in Christ the Word and Savior.