In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen.
I have cares and responsibilities to which I must attend, I must earn money, complete chores, perform tasks. And in our modern world these things seem to be getting worse and we have no time for what makes us human beings. For as far back as we can tell our race has eaten together, sang and danced together, and gazed up at the sky together, particularly at night, in wonder and awe. Life in our society is trying to rob us of these joys, to make us stare only downwards: towards screens, towards the earth, towards death.
Yet the world, to make this deception work, has to hide death from us: death has become private and unseen. We send those whom we love away into hospitals and hospices—even to euthanasia “clinics”—to die separated from any sense of community. Once dead, we entrust bodies to undertakers, hide them in coffins, so that none have to look upon their own mortality. We burn their flesh, grind their bones, and remove any lasting sense of personhood and dignity.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal Life.
As we prepare for the Feast of the Cross, the Church calls us—even in this modern world of screens and tasks—to look up. We all need to remember our humanity, remember our identity, reject the world and look up. And looking up we see the Cross, we confront death head on. Our modern world, although distracted from death, believes in its finality yet for us “through the Cross hath joy come into all the world.” We face death, we look upon death, as a defeated adversary because the Lord has defeated it, and though we have been bitten by the serpents of the world, we look up to the Cross and we live.
Yet the Lord, in his word today to you and to me, goes further,
For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
The world itself will be saved through him. We are called to bring this about: family and neighbours, friends and foes alike, are called into the Kingdom. For the Cross stands at the very centre of human existence, at the very centre of Creation, “And I,” says the Lord,
if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to myself.
— John 12:32
Let us, therefore, be drawn to the Lord and bring all the more with us, for the Lord “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (First Timothy 2:4) “Let us lay aside all the cares of this life that we may receive the King of All,” (Cherubic Hymn) and by prayer and repentance become true human persons and inheritors of eternal Life.
That we may offer all praise, glory and honour to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, crucified for us that we may have Life in him, together with his unoriginate Father and the All-holy, Good and Life-creating Spirit. Amen.
Brethren, see with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that would compel you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For even those who receive circumcision do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh. But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. Peace and mercy be upon all who walk by this rule, upon the Israel of God. Henceforth let no man trouble me; for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.
— Galatians 6:11–18
The Lord said, “No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
— John 3:13–17