August: Day 1: Teaching 1: The Procession of the Honorable Cross of the Lord

  

August: Day 1: Teaching 1:
The Procession of the Honorable Cross of the Lord
 
(The Necessity of Bearing the Cross in the Matter of Salvation)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. On the 1st day of August, the Orthodox Church celebrates the miraculous power of the honorable and life-giving Cross of the Lord, commemorating the signs that have occurred from it and from the holy icons of Christ the Savior and the Mother of God.

In the year 1164, the Right-Believing Russian Prince Andrew Bogolyubsky and Manuel, the Greek Emperor, were compelled to wage war against the enemies of their homeland. According to the custom of pious Christian sovereigns, which has been preserved since the time of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine, the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord and sacred icons of the Savior and the Mother of God were carried with the armies of Prince Andrew Bogolyubsky and Emperor Manuel to sanctify the warriors, instill in them a steadfast hope for divine assistance, and grant them grace-filled strength in their struggle against enemies, even when they were relatively stronger. Armed with such spiritual fortitude, on the day of the decisive battle against their foes, both sovereigns witnessed their troops being overshadowed by an extraordinary light emanating from the Lord’s Cross and the holy icons. Encouraged by this sign of invisible divine help, the armies of both sovereigns achieved a decisive victory – the former over the Bulgarians and the latter over the Saracens.

Wishing to preserve in the memory of descendants such a momentous day for their loyal subjects, the righteous sovereigns, through mutual communication among themselves and by the blessing of the entire sacred synod, did not delay to establish a new luminous celebration, which we now piously observe. It has been decreed for all ages not only to celebrate in honor of the invincible power of the Lord's cross and to perform the veneration appropriate thereto but also, in remembrance of the victorious procession with it and the holy icons among the Christian regiments, to now carry forth from the temple these sacred signs of God's mercy and to perform the sanctification of water in wells and rivers under their shadow, as a means of imparting to us the grace of the Holy Spirit, according to the directive of the Lord Himself (John 3:5; 7:37–39).

II. Such is the origin of the present feast. It is quite instructive for us. By the grace of God, under the governance of the love and wisdom of the God-preserved Anointed One, our Sovereign, we enjoy the cherished peace with all the peoples surrounding our vast homeland.

Science, art, and commerce are developing and improving more and more. Our external prosperity is such that we can only thank the Lord God and engage in the prayer "for the tsar and for all who are in power."

But is this our inner state? Do the powers of our spirit develop and perfect themselves in the matter of our salvation? Does not each of our consciences speak to us with the words of Scripture: "There is no peace in my bones because of my sin" (Psalm 37:4)?

Indeed, it is our sins that disturb our inner peace! These are our most dangerous enemies, which rob us not of external possessions, but of the inner treasure necessary for eternal life, stealing faith from our souls (Luke 8:12) and defiling our hearts with the stench of vile thoughts and deeds (Matthew 15:19–20).

a) How shall we arm ourselves against such dangerous enemies? Where shall we seek protection and victory over them for the faithful soul?

In that same saving sign, under the shadow of which victory has been achieved, which we now commemorate, namely in the Cross of the Lord. "O honorable Cross,” cries the believing warrior, “be my guardian of soul and body, casting down demons with your image, driving away enemies, overcoming passions and granting me blessing, and life and strength, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit and the honorable prayers of the Most Pure One” (from the final troparion in the 9th ode of the canon of Gregory of Sinai).

b) However, by referring to the Cross of the Lord as a victorious weapon, we understand not merely the external act of protecting ourselves with the sign of the cross. Our intention is to demonstrate the necessity of internal crucifixion in the matter of salvation. An outward sign of the cross that we bear on ourselves, without actively following the crucified Lord, will not yield the desired fruit. It is necessary, as the Apostle expresses, to "crucify our flesh with its passions and desires." This is the saving cross, under the shadow of which one can successfully confront all enemies or sins that hinder our attainment of eternal blessings. Indeed, this path is not easy due to our weakness; the Lord Himself has called it "narrow," but He did so not to instill fear in us, but rather to protect us on the one hand from complacency in the struggle against the enemies of salvation and from presumption on the other. Moreover, He intends to point us to this path of the cross as the most direct, certain, and saving way, which is also essential for all who seek salvation: "Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10:38).

c) What does it mean to take up your cross? – It does not mean, of course, that we should voluntarily subject ourselves to all sorts of hardships and deprivations, but rather that we should patiently endure all that is sent to us by the hand of Providence, according to the strength and circumstances of each individual. Therefore, if the Lord sends you sickness, bear it without complaint, but also do not neglect the timely assistance of a physician. If you are poor, engage in honest work and do not succumb to carelessness. Are you unhappy in your family life, if your wife or children do not bring you joy? Try to use wisdom to alleviate your misfortune and do not despair of finding comfort in the fruits of your prudence. Has the Lord visited you with a fire or some other unforeseen loss of property? Have you mourned the early demise of those dear to your heart? Learn to give thanks to the Lord for everything, even for the most profound losses, accepting them as a measure that facilitates your walk in the footsteps of the Lord, and do not seek to dissipate your sorrow in the whirlwind of worldly distractions. Do you perceive animosity from those whose favor might affect your well-being, facing only insults and grievances from them? Assess yourself before the judgment of your conscience impartially; do you have the right to consider yourself worthy of a better fate? Do not grieve even if you were to consider yourself innocent. "For to this you were called," says the Apostle in such a case, "because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow His steps, who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth: who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously" (1 Peter 2:21–23). In short, whether our cross is small or large, light or heavy, we shall strengthen ourselves to bear it with courage by the thought that we are following our Lord. If all the labors of the cross-bearers were carried out without a specific purpose and without a higher providential guidance, then indeed we could easily falter at every step, without receiving encouragement and rejuvenation. However, we have before us the personal example of the Savior, who was "tempted in all things like us, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15), and His joyfully encouraging words: "Where I am, there shall My servant be also" (John 12:26). 

III. Let us conclude our feeble reflection on the way of the cross with the faithful word of the Apostle: "If we died with Him, we shall also live with Him; if we endure, we shall also reign with Him forever" (2 Timothy 2:11-12). (Compiled from the writings of Archpriest John Vinogradov, published in "Soul-Edifying Readings" for August 1892).

 

Source: A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.