Sunday Readings for September 13-14, Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
By Lyn Zahorik | For On Mission
Today, the Cross is one of the most recognizable symbols of Christian faith. We see it worn around necks, displayed in homes, and honored in churches — a sign of devotion, identity, and hope.
In ancient Rome, however, the cross was a symbol of mockery and shame. Crucifixion was so brutal that Roman citizens were usually spared from it. It was reserved for enemies of the state and designed to be a public spectacle — marked by humiliation, prolonged agony, and maximum suffering.
According to Scripture, Jesus was condemned without due process, subjected to mockery and brutal scourging, and compelled to carry a cross to the site of his execution — all with the approval of government authorities and a frenzied crowd blind to his divine nature. In Jesus’ case, his Cross also came to symbolize the most profound injustice ever inflicted.
Central to our Christian faith is the knowledge that Jesus didn’t just die on the Cross — he redeemed it, turning a tool of torture into a gateway to salvation. The Cross is no longer just a symbol of suffering, but also of divine love. Each year, this extraordinary event in our faith is celebrated on September 14, the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
The Cross is a timeless bridge, connecting past, present, and future believers in a shared story of grace, suffering, and hope. Deeply woven into Christian tradition, the Cross marks every sacrament, beginning with Baptism, when it is lovingly traced on the forehead of a child. Our prayers begin with it, sacred objects are blessed by it, and, in most Catholic homes and institutions, a cross or crucifix holds a place of honor.
We are called to embrace the cross of discipleship and the cross of suffering in our own lives. On Good Friday, we approach the cross with reverence, awe and adoration, recognizing in it both the cost of love and the promise of redemption. My parish community at St. Mary Parish, Winneconne, and St. Mary Parish, Omro, observes the Good Friday tradition of approaching the cross in stockings or bare feet, in the spirit of Exodus 3:5: “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.”
As we celebrate the triumph of the Cross, I’d like to share a legend from the late medieval period. Though it lacks scriptural backing, its message is deeply heartwarming.
According to the story, Roman soldiers in search of strong timber chose the dogwood tree to construct the cross on which Jesus was crucified. At that time, the dogwood stood tall and straight — its strength and size made it ideal for bearing the weight of a man.
But after the Resurrection, Jesus is said to have cursed the tree — not out of anger, but out of compassion — so that it would never again grow large enough to be used for such a cruel purpose. Today, the dogwood is small and twisted, its blossoms bearing a shape that some say resembles a cross, with marks that evoke the nails of the Crucifixion. This legend transforms the dogwood from a tool of suffering into a living memorial of grace — a reminder that, even in pain, God’s mercy prevails, and that, through Christ, all things can be made new.
The readings for Sunday, September 14, can be found at Feast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Ordinary Time | USCCB.