3rd
Sunday in
Lent.
Veneration of the Holy Cross 2005 Ocala
Today, the 3rd Sunday in Lent, we pay special homage to the Holy
Cross. This day is known as the Sunday of "Stavroproskenesis",
or Veneration of the Holy Cross. The Church, very wisely placed
this Holiday precisely at the mid-point of Lent, --knowing full
well the psychology of humans. The 40 Day Lenten period of
fasting, prayer, sacrifice and good works, which serves as the
introduction to the Holy Passion and culminates with the
Glorious Resurrection of our Lord, was indeed a long stretch so
to speak.
In
order that the we Christians would not weaken, as runners in the
spiritual race, and to further bolster us in our Faith, the Holy
Cross is brought sharply into greater focus. The Cross, which is
the unique symbol of salvation, is a constant reminder of the
supreme Sacrifice of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He
sacrificed Himself for you and for me, so that all of us would
have the opportunity to be saved.
As
the Symbol of our Faith, the Cross is an inexhaustible source of
spiritual power and regeneration. Having then finished the first
half of the Lenten Period, we receive today renewed strength and
spiritual vigor to proceed steadily on the road to complete our
Lenten journey. The Procession and Litany which we just
witnessed has the power to bring a special blessing to us. The
Priest elevated the Holy Cross and chanted: "O Lord, save Thy
people and bless Thine inheritance; grant victory to the
Faithful over all adversaries, and protect Thy commonwealth
through the Power of Thy Cross." Subsequently the Priest and the
Choir chanted: "Thy Cross O Master we reverence, and Thy Holy
Resurrection we glorify!"
After the Service a flower is always given to the Faithful from
the flower tray in which the Cross was placed, and they are
blessed by kissing the Cross. The flower is given as a symbol,
that with the blessings and Grace of our Crucified Lord and
Saviour, Christian virtues will blossom and flower within our
hearts.
But,-- to all these, we must give substance and meaning through
our conscious and wholehearted participation. Concisely, this is
the meaning of the special Service of the Day; Today, our theme
will center on the Gospel Lesson, which is one of the shortest
of the Ecclesiastical Year;---- short, -- but it is a lesson,
which presents to us a very profound teaching.
It
pinpoints, but also emphasizes the true value of the soul, and
gives the soul supreme importance, as opposed to so many humans,
who for one reason or another, have sold their soul, as the
saying goes, or have rendered it valueless, because of their
reckless living.
Let
us concentrate on a couple of Bible verses we heard today. As we
know, all objects in life, whether we possess few or many, have
a specific value. This value, is estimated, either objectively,
or by the owner himself. And the oddity is this: Certain
objects, which really do have value, are disposed of for
practically nothing; and other objects, which truly may be
worthless to others, constitute our very priceless possessions.
In
what man so often has chosen to make so unimportant, the Lord
attaches the greatest importance, without any reservation. Our
soul is the most priceless possession in this world, even though
so many fail to realize this, -- and as a result, are willing to
give it in exchange for some part of this world, --- be it
money, glory, power, position or the like.
It is no wonder then, that
the Lord Jesus stated: "For what shall it profit a man if he
shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" and the Lord
continues to ask: "And what shall man give in exchange for his
own soul?"
If we pause
to seriously think for a moment, we most assuredly will agree,
that the whole world cannot be equal to the worth of a single
soul; --- whether it is housed in a strong healthy body, or in a
frail, weak body, lying and suffering on a hospital bed!
Nothing
then, is more important than our soul,-- because the soul lives
on into Eternity, whereas all worldly possessions are sheer
vanity and of course temporary. The soul is all important,
because it is the very breath of life, breathed into us by God.
It is precisely this soul, which sets us apart and above all
other creatures and creations, and has made us masters over all
things in this world!
"What shall
a man give in exchange for his own soul?" asks the Lord.
Nothing, positively nothing. Not even the whole world is the
firm reply of the true Christian. This was proven countless
times with the thousands of Christian martyrs, and all the
Christ-centered people to this very day. Conversely, to the same
question: "What shall a man give in exchange for his own soul?"
And what is the worth of the soul? The materialist replies,
"very little worth-- almost nothing". "If we were to liquidate
the human body, the chemical value would be less than one
dollar."
That
precisely is the price, and the worth of a human being when we
discount the value of the existence of the soul, which is
priceless. For example we have the masterpieces of the ages
always on pedestals for display. The sculpture or painting may
be priceless, whereas the pedestal may have no real value. That
is the situation with the soul. A body without a soul is
practically worthless.
Most
unfortunately though, --the reality of today's modern
civilization, is, that it presents human beings as pedestals and
frames only -- but these are practically worthless, because they
do not display the masterpieces of the soul. Again, and
unfortunately, human life has become one of life's cheapest
commodities, in spite of the Lord's words: "What shall a man
give in exchange for his own soul?" Thus, man is caught between
two diametrically opposed forces. Christianity, as against
Materialism. When the question is posed, "what is the worth of a
human being?" Christianity replies "infinite"- priceless!"
Materialism replies: "practically nothing, or simply nothing!"
This was surely proven during the wars of this century and
surely by the sheer materialists and the merchants of the flesh.
Christianity believes that one soul is more important than the
whole world. Materialism preaches that countless numbers of
humans are worthless in the face of various forces within the
world.
Christianity, through its Founder, the Lord Jesus, proved the
worth of the salvation of the individual soul, by His supreme
Sacrifice on the Cross. Atheistic materialism proved the value
it attaches to human lives through so many barbaric incidents,
and most vividly by the soap factories in the concentration
camps in World War 11.
What a pity
that man, does not take time to acknowledge how supremely
Christianity has elevated man; and how man, of his own has
chosen to debase himself. It is no wonder then, that the Lord
asks: "What shall man give in exchange for his own soul." And of
