Lift High the Cross

“O cross, you are the glorious sign of our victory. Through your power may we share in the triumph of Christ Jesus.” – From Evening Prayer I of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

We have communicated throughout the last several weeks that these days of September 12^th-15^th are “Blessed Solanus Casey Weekend.” We have many exciting opportunities for prayer, service, and community building throughout these days. Hopefully, we will all be introduced to or reminded of the virtues that our friend and former parishioner Fr. Solanus embodied in his life as a humble porter and disciple of Jesus.

As we gather for the Holy Mass on Saturday evening or Sunday morning, we will not celebrate the 24^th Sunday in Ordinary Time as you might expect we would. Rather, we will celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, which is annually celebrated on September 14^th. Tradition holds that, on or around this day, the True Cross upon which Jesus died was discovered in the fourth century. Later in that same century the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was built over the site of Christ’s death and resurrection. Then again, around this mid-September date in the seventh century, the True Cross was returned to Christian possession after its capture by Persian forces.

We see, speak, and hear the phrase “Holy Cross” often in our daily lives living in Hudson or nearby. If you did not know, the county name here of St. Croix is Holy Cross in French. There are several stories as to why our county bears this name but certainly it was in part due to the influence of French missionaries and the acknowledgement of the reality of the Cross of Jesus.

In another way, we will be able to see and venerate the Holy Cross in our life here at Saint Patrick Parish. For several decades, we have been in possession of a relic of the True Cross. It is two small splinters of the Cross placed in a small circular case called a reliquary. Recently, we sent an altar crucifix that was once used in the old Church to be refurbished and altered so that this relic could be placed inside of it. The relic will be available for veneration throughout the weekend Masses in our chapel and downstairs in our social hall during the Blessed Solanus Casey Traveling Museum hours.

May this special feast day help us all to recall the great work of redemption that Our Lord accomplished for us on the Cross. And let us all lift high the Cross in proclaiming the love and mercy of Jesus Christ.

Gracias a Dios.