Homily for the Sunday After the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
On the Different Crosses in the Life of Those Who Are Being Saved
On the Different Crosses in the Life of Those Who Are Being Saved
St. Cleopa of Sihastria
“For the preaching of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).
Beloved faithful,
Our Savior Jesus Christ says in the Holy Gospel: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). Today we shall speak about the different crosses through which we may be saved on earth. We remind you that we Christians honor the Cross of Christ in two ways: the material, visible cross, which we honor, kiss, and carry, and the spiritual cross, which is suffering endured for the sake of doing good.
If we read the Holy and Divine Scriptures attentively, we see that the sign of the material Cross was symbolically manifested from the earliest times. Thus, we see that the Patriarch Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph with his hands in the form of the Cross (Genesis 48:13–16).
The sign of the visible Cross was prefigured by Moses holding up his hands in prayer in the form of a cross during the battle with Amalek (Exodus 17:11–12).
The visible, material Cross was mystically prefigured in the Old Law also by the sign of the letter T, which protected from death those who had it upon their foreheads (Ezekiel 9:4–6). The Cross is also symbolized by the seal of God, which preserves unharmed those who bear it upon their foreheads (Revelation 7:2–4; 9:4). In the Law of Grace, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Himself visibly blessed children with His hands: “And He took them in His arms and blessed them, laying His hands upon them” (Mark 10:16).
And concerning the blessing of the Apostles at His Ascension into heaven, He tells us: “Then He led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up His hands, He blessed them” (Luke 24:50). Likewise, the Apostles ordained deacons, priests, and bishops through blessing in the sign of the Cross, by prayer and the laying on of hands (Acts 6:6; 14:23; 1 Timothy 3:2). For this reason, the Mystery of Priesthood is called “the laying on of the hands of the priesthood.” Likewise, through prayer and the laying on of hands in the form of the Cross, the Apostles imparted the Mystery of anointing with Holy Chrism, called “the Seal of the Gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:17; 19:6; 2 Corinthians 2:15).
As for the invisible, spiritual, and mystical Cross that we must all bear, this is our suffering and labor in the performance of good works. Our Savior Jesus Christ, who bore the visible Cross on Golgotha as well as the invisible cross of suffering for our salvation, also taught us to endure the cross of life, saying: “He who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Mark 13:13). Satan greatly hates the sign of the Holy Cross, for the Cross is the unconquerable weapon with which Christ conquered him and emptied hades. Therefore, Satan urges those who have strayed from the truth, that is, the sectarians who serve him, to blaspheme and hate the Cross of Christ. For just as a dog flees from the stick with which it has been struck, so the devil flees from the Cross of Christ, which reminds him that by it he was struck and defeated.
The true Orthodox Christian honors the Cross that was sanctified by the hands of Christ on Golgotha and bows down before it with all reverence and humility. Likewise, he honors the invisible cross of the sufferings of life in Christ, which the Savior also endured unto death, and even death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). But the Orthodox Christian must also know that the invisible cross of His sufferings is of many kinds, and blessed is that Christian who, with faith in God and great patience, bears the cross of his sufferings on earth in the love of Christ, for the salvation of his soul.
Thus, for example, one person is blind and endures this suffering throughout his life with thanksgiving. Another is deaf, another cannot speak, while another is lame and deprived of one or another member of his body. And if he endures this infirmity courageously and gives thanks to God with heartfelt prayers, such a person will be numbered among the martyrs. Only let him beware of every sin, for beyond this life, boundless joy awaits him.
Others bear with great patience the cross of marriage, which is not easy, because married Christians have many and great obligations: to raise their children in the fear of God; not to kill their children; to love the Church, our mother, who has given us birth through water and the Spirit (John 3:5); to fast on all the holy feasts throughout the year, as well as on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Mondays, so that their righteousness may exceed that of the Pharisees, who boast that they fast twice a week.
Then they must live in purity, in fasting; give alms; attend church regularly on Sundays and Holy Feasts; pray continually; and read as often as possible the Holy Scriptures and the teachings of God's Saints. They must also refrain from every sin that drives the Holy Spirit away from them, along with the many other obligations that the priests teach them on every Sunday and Holy Feast, if only they would listen with the fear of God. The cross of widowhood and virginity is not easy either, for those who, out of love for God, strive to live in purity and honor on earth, among whom are also the monastics.
Some of these, if they do as they promised before the Lord, if they live in obedience, in poverty, and in virginity, not only in body but also in mind and heart, refraining from desiring corruptible and deceptive things, will rejoice in a great reward in the age to come. Both monastics who have vowed to preserve their virginity until death and Christians who desire to live in virginity and purity need fasting, restraint from rich foods and wine, and watchfulness of the mind, joined with prayer and contemplation of death and the Last Judgment. They must always have the fear of God before the eyes of their mind, so as to guard their mind and their five senses from temptations, evil thoughts, and friendship with persons who can cause scandal and sin.
The cross is also heavy for the poor and afflicted who live in want and poverty and struggle with the many needs of earthly life. And if they bear the cross of their suffering with humility, patience, and thanksgiving, a great reward awaits them from God, who is Most Just and All-Knowing, who knows the patience, affliction, and suffering of each person and will reward everyone according to his deeds.
The righteous Job says: “The life of man upon the earth is a warfare” (Job 7:1). The Holy Apostle Paul says: “In this great struggle, you have need of patience” (Hebrews 12:2–7). And our Savior Jesus Christ says: “By your patience you will gain your souls” (Luke 21:19). Therefore, we are always obliged to pray to the Most Merciful God to grant us patience in our troubles and sufferings, so that we may bear our Cross to the end, for without Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). But let us be assured that God, in His boundless mercy, does not allow a person to be tempted beyond his strength (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Beloved faithful,
Now, toward the end of this sermon, we shall recount a true story concerning a sick man. He had been bedridden for several years and, having lost patience with his illness, asked God to let him die; but the Most Good God saved him through a miracle, so that he would not lose his soul.
A monk of exemplary life from the Holy Mountain of Athos, having been paralyzed for many years, began to pray to God either to let him die or to restore his health, for he could no longer endure that tormenting illness. As he prayed in this way, an angel of the Lord came to him and said: “God desires to cleanse you of your sins as iron is cleansed by fire, so that He may lead you into the paradise of delight, for there is no other way to the Savior than the way of the Cross, which comes through suffering. Therefore, if you wish to be cleansed of your transgressions, you must either remain bedridden for another year on earth or spend three hours in hell.”
The sick monk began to think. Another year of suffering on earth? Better to spend three hours in Gehenna! Then the angel, with the swiftness of lightning, carried his soul into the torments of hell and departed, saying these comforting words: “After three hours I will come to you and look for you!” The terrible darkness, the heartrending sighs of the sinners who were suffering in Gehenna, and the terrifying faces of the demons brought upon the miserable monk unspeakable terror and anguish. Everywhere he could see and hear nothing but suffering, tears, and dreadful lamentation! Only the burning eyes of the demons glimmered in the boundless darkness of hell.
Then the tormented monk began to weep and cry out, but no one answered his cries. It seemed to him that hundreds of years of suffering had passed since he arrived there, and he eagerly awaited the appearance of the angel of the Lord to take him out. But the angel did not come. All the sinners imprisoned in Gehenna were occupied only with their exceedingly bitter and terrible death and with their own torment, while the dreadful demons, in their infernal joy, mocked the sufferings of the sinners.
Finally, the angel, with a smile of light, approached the tormented monk and asked him: “How are you, brother?” “Never would I have believed that the mouth of an angel could lie! Did you not tell me that you would take me out of here after three hours? And behold, hundreds of years have passed in these terrible sufferings! What do you say to that?” The angel answered with a radiant face: “One hour has passed since I left you, and you still have two hours to remain here!” “Two hours?” cried the tormented monk in great terror. “Is it possible that an hour has passed? But I can no longer endure these terrible torments! If it is possible to fulfill the will of the Most Merciful God, I beg you, take me out of here. I would rather suffer on earth for years, even for centuries, until the Second Coming of the Lord, but save me from here! Have mercy on me!”
The angel said: “God, being the Father of mercies and of all consolation, shows His goodness toward you. But from now on you must remember how grievous and great are the torments of Gehenna; and the sufferings on earth, however terrible they may be, are only a shadow in comparison with the eternal sufferings of hell” (The Life of the Departed, Bucharest, 1899, pp. 424–426).
Beloved faithful,
From this true story and from what we have said above, let us understand that there is no salvation without the Cross and without suffering in this life. Our Savior Jesus Christ told us that “through many tribulations we must enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Every Christian who desires the salvation of his soul is obliged to be ready to endure with love and patience all the troubles, sorrows, and pains of life that God permits to come upon a person for his salvation. Saint Isaac the Syrian says: “As fire cleanses copper of rust, so illness cleanses a person of sin.” Therefore, it is good that in every suffering and sorrow we pray to the Most Merciful God to forgive us our sins and grant us patience in troubles and afflictions, remembering that: “Tribulation produces patience, and patience produces purification from sins.”
Never in this life can we endure as much as we owe for our sins, in order to satisfy the justice of God. Nor can we endure without the mercy and help of the Most Merciful God. Therefore, our Savior Jesus Christ said: “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4). Only through His mercy and help can we do all things in this life. The Holy Apostle Paul shows us this truth when he says: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
Truly, we can do all things in Christ, and without Him, nothing. Therefore, we are obliged at all times and in every place to ask for the mercy and help of God and, with faith and hope, to wait, remembering the word that says: “The Lord will save the souls of His servants, and all who hope in Him will not go astray” (Psalm 33:21). Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
