LIFT UP the CROSS
On September
14th Zion will commemorate Holy Cross Day (LSB, p. xi). And many of
you will say: what is this? Allow me to introduce you to a small piece of our
church history. Let me start with the vision of Emperor Constantine before the
Battle of the Milvian Bridge. It was an important route over Tiber, and winning
this fight let Constantine to a position of sole rule over the Roman Empire. On
the night of the battle, he saw a dream with the sign of the Cross and a phrase
‘In hoc signo vinces’ (in [or with] this sign you shall conquer). He led
his troops to the battle with the symbol of the lifted Cross and won. To
commemorate his rise to power to dedicated two churches in Jerusalem – Holy
Sepulcher and Mount Calvary. As a part of dedication, on September 14 335AD,
the worshipers were gathered to observe the newly installed Cross in the Church
of Sepulcher.
About three
hundred years later, on the same day of September 14 in 629 the Byzantine
Emperor elevated so-called “the True Cross” in Hagia Sofia in Constantinople.
This began to raise some theological concerns among the Christian scholars. As
a result, the Second Council of Nicaea in 787 drew the distinction between the
veneration and the worship, which belongs to God alone.
Continuing
the same idea, Dr. Luther once wrote a letter to Frederich the Wise (his patron)
concerning the acquisition of a new relic. It was 1522 and Martin Luther was
safely kept by his wise protector in Wartburg castle. Yet, caring for a
spiritual estate of his Prince, the Reformer wrote:
Grace and gladness from God the Father on the acquisition of
the new relic! I put down this greeting, Gracious Lord, in place of my
assurance of respect. For many years Your Grace has now been acquiring relics
in many countries; but now God has heard Your Grace’s desire and without any
cost and trouble has sent to your address an entire cross, with nails. Spears,
and scourges. I say again: Grace and gladness from God on the acquisition of
the new relic!
What Luther
was going after is not a physical cross from Holy Land or Vatican. He meant the
suffering that came with the preaching of the Gospel in his beloved Saxony – he
compared the cross-bearing of a Christian with the attacks of those who oppose
to the Reformation.
The same
meaning we apply to the cross today. At Zion we have a beautiful Altar
Crucifix, on the main feasts we use a processional Cross – when a Crucifer,
followed by choir, bell choir and clergy lifts up the cross walks down the isle
during the hymn of Invocation. We have an Old Ragged Cross that we place in the
chancel from the forty days of Lent. Yet, none of these crosses should be
treated as worship objects. They are reminders of the great sacrifice of our
Lord Jesus Christ for our sins. Following St. Paul we can say: we preach Christ
crucified (2 Corinthians 1:23). For on the Cross of Calvary the sins have been
atone for, debts have been paid, reconciliation between God and the sinful
world completed.
That’s why
we treasure our heritage – church history commemorated in liturgical calendar
reminds us of the Biblical teachings. Teaching of Creation, Fall, God’s love,
and Salvation. September is associated with Holy Cross – a profound sign of
God’s undying love for the world. The love we are to share, as the hymn
instructs us:
Lift high
the cross, the love of Christ proclaim
Till all the world adore His sacred name (LSB
837).
