Sunday of the Cross 2022 Fr. Nicholas Carr

Holy Spirit, glory to Jesus Christ. Today is

the third Sunday of Lent, and the Church in her

wisdom has made this Sunday the Sunday of the

precious and life -giving cross. And as Orthodox

Christians, we make the sign of the cross physically

when we cross ourselves. We display crosses on

the tops of our churches. Take a look when you

go outside at the beautiful dome and the cross

on top. We display crosses inside our church.

And even the very architecture of this building

is the shape of a cross. And the cross is the

very symbol of our faith. And all this is true.

because the Son of God, Jesus, our Lord and God

and Savior, was crucified on a cross. When we

look at the cross, we see Christ. And we see

also our redemption from sin and death, for it

is upon that cross that Jesus was crucified in

order to redeem us all. And thus the cross represents

our salvation, God's love for us, his plan for

our redemption. And so we venerate that cross

because of God's great love for us. John 3, 16

and 17 says, For God so loved the world that

he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes

in him should not perish, but have everlasting

life. For God did not send his Son into the world

to condemn the world, but that the world through

him might be saved. And all this is accomplished

through the cross. But the cross is a paradox.

What is a paradox? It is something that at first

glance seems contradictory, that through this

object of death, somehow we have life. The paradox,

though, when you look at it more deeply, then

it makes sense. An example of a paradox is the

saying, the louder you are, the less they hear.

For when you speak more loudly, people hear better,

but yet if you look at the deep level, people

won't listen. Or perhaps you might remember the

movie The Godfather, and there is a paradox in

the line, I'm going to make him an offer he can't

refuse. For in an offer, you would have a choice.

But we know the deeper level. There is no choice

in this matter. Offers can be refused. The deeper

meaning is seen when you reflect upon it. And

there is a paradox with the cross as well. For

this object of Roman executions, a thing giving

death, and yet we call it precious. We call it

life -giving. For there is something deeper going

on when Christ is crucified. This deeper level

can be seen in viewing the two other crosses.

at that same crucifixion, one on either side

of the Lord Jesus. Jesus hangs in between these

two thieves, both sinners deserving death. Christ,

in the middle, is performing the sacrifice of

redemption for the whole world. These two thieves

react to Christ in opposite ways. One thief blasphemes

Christ. If you are the Christ, save yourself

and us. And there is total unbelief and even

ridicule in his words. The other thief says,

Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

And Jesus responds to him saying, Assuredly,

I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise.

And this paradox. This deeper meaning to the

cross is found in today's gospel in Mark 8, 36

and 37, where Christ asks, For what will it profit

a man if he gains the whole world and loses his

own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange

for his soul? And you and I, we can choose to

be like either one of those thieves on either

side of Christ. We can reject the saving work

and with lack of faith miss out on salvation.

Or we can humbly come before Christ and we can

say, Lord, remember me when you come into thy

kingdom. What about you? Which thief are you

more like? Take a careful look at your life,

at your actions, for they truly reveal your heart.

Are you fleeing from sin and clinging to the

Lord? Or are you avoiding the Lord so that you

can continue in sin? Jesus says, whoever desires

to come after me, let him deny himself and take

up his cross and follow me. For whoever desires

to save his life will lose it. But whoever loses

his life for my sake and the gospels will save

it. And this is the paradox of the cross. We

must lose our life to save it. Saint Tikhon of

Zadonsk says this. We honor Christ who suffered

for us when we hate sin. and follow his holy

word and the example of his blameless life. As

he says, if any man serve me, let him follow

me. For honoring Christ and serving Christ are

one in the same. He taught us by word and by

example how to live a virtuous life. As we read

in his holy gospel, if we want to honor him heartily,

we must listen to him. We cannot honor him without

obedience. He himself, Jesus, says, Why call

ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which

I say? True honoring is shown not by words only,

but also by deeds. And so let us, each one of

us, determine and pick up our cross and follow

the Lord. in not just word, but also in action,

and follow the Lord Jesus Christ example and

walk into eternity with him. Glory to Jesus Christ.