FEAST OF THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS

The Exaltation of the Cross stems from the truth that "apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven" (Saint Rose of Lima).  Christ won our salvation on the cross, redeeming us from sin and meriting all the graces we continue to receive through the sacraments.  Exalting the holy cross year encourages us in the midst of our own sufferings, assuring us that suffering is a sign not that God has abandoned us but that we are being invited into closer union with our Savior.  This is why "Christians see themselves as a people under the sign of the cross.  It is the sign of their salvation; it is their ensign, their banner, their cover, their plea, and their glory." 

Thomas Howard (Magnificat, September 14, 2021 Vol 23, No. 7 page 172)