Bishop Eric Menees
This week I ran across this piece by St. Andrew of Crete,
bishop and theologian. His simple
reflection on the Cross spoke to my heart and mind and I pray it will speak to
yours!
The Cross is Christ's Glory and Triumph
Had there been no cross, Christ could not have been
crucified. Had there been no cross, life itself could not have been nailed to
the tree. And if life had not been nailed to it, there would be no streams of
immortality pouring from Christ’s side, blood and water for the world’s
cleansing. The legal bond of our sin would not be cancelled, we should not have
attained our freedom, we should not have enjoyed the fruit of the tree of life
and the gates of paradise would not stand open. Had there been no cross, death
would not have been trodden underfoot, nor hell despoiled.
Therefore, the cross is something wonderfully great and
honorable. It is great because through the cross the many noble acts of Christ
found their consummation – very many indeed, for both his miracles and his
sufferings were fully rewarded with victory. The cross is honorable because it
is both the sign of God’s suffering and the trophy of his victory. It stands
for his suffering because on it he freely suffered unto death. But it is also
his trophy because it was the means by which the devil was wounded and death
conquered; the barred gates of hell were smashed, and the cross became the one
common salvation of the whole world.
The cross is called Christ’s glory; it is saluted as his
triumph. We recognize it as the cup he longed to drink and the climax of the
sufferings he endured for our sake. As to the cross being Christ’s glory,
listen to his words: Now is the Son of Man glorified, and in him God is
glorified, and God will glorify him at once. And again: Father, glorify me with
the glory I had with you before the world came to be. And once more: “Father,
glorify your name”. Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it and
will glorify it again”. Here he speaks of the glory that would accrue to him
through the cross. And if you would understand that the cross is Christ’s
triumph, hear what he himself also said: When I am lifted up, then I will draw
all men to myself. Now you can see that the cross is Christ’s glory and
triumph.
Andrew of Crete (650-740)
I pray you all a truly Holy Lent!
Thirty-nine Articles
of Religion
XX. Of the Authority
of the Church.
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