The Exaltation of The Holy Cross – 14th September 2025
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, a day that reminds us that the sign of suffering and death has become for us the sign of salvation and love. The three readings we heard today show a clear thread: the Cross is the place where God transforms evil into good and death into life.
In the first reading, from the Book of Numbers, the chosen people are in the desert. Tired and frustrated, they complain against God and Moses. As a consequence, venomous serpents come, and many die. Yet, in the midst of suffering, God offers a way of healing: a bronze serpent lifted on a pole. Whoever looked at it was healed. Notice: the serpent itself had no power; the act of looking up, recognising the need for help, and trusting God brought healing.
In the second reading, from the Letter to the Philippians, Saint Paul reveals the true face of the Son of God: Jesus did not cling to His divine glory but emptied Himself, becoming man and going as far as death, death on a cross. There, on the wood of the Cross, His humility became His exaltation. Through His total self-giving, the Father lifted Him above all.
The Gospel of John connects these images: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.” The Cross of Jesus is not just a pole of torture but a window to heaven. The gaze of faith heals, brings hope, and gives life.