Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross-Homily for Thursday of the 23rd Week in Ordinary Time 14th September 2023
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross-Homily for Thursday of the 23rd Week in Ordinary Time 14th September 2023 Numbers 21:4b-9. Psalm 78:1-2,34-35,36-37,38. Philippians 2:6-11. John 3:13-17. Today's feast celebrates the dedication of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. This church is one of the most important shrines in the world since it is believed to have been erected on the spot where the Lord was crucified and was buried. Today, we celebrate the centrality of the cross in our Christian life and its saving power for us who believe. Devotion to the Holy Cross dates back to the earliest days of Christianity. The feast itself has been celebrated since the fourth century. Today, the Catholic Church commemorates the recovery of the True Cross by Emperor Heraclius following his victory over the Persians. The texts of the Mass and of the Liturgy of the Hours proclaim the Holy Cross as the instrument of our salvation. For inasmuch as our first parents sinned beneath t...