Wednesday, September 14, 2011

The Holy Cross

Today is the Feast of the Holy Cross. We wear crosses made of silver and gold dangling from a chain. We make the sign of the cross with our right hand when we begin and end prayer. We process into the liturgy with a bronze cross leading the way. Priests bless using the sign of the cross. But do we stop to think about what the cross means when we put it on, or when we sign ourselves with it, when we carry it in procession or when we bless?

It was an instrument or torture used by the Romans to execute people. Jesus was executed on this instrumentality. Jesus also turned a device used to kill into a device that signifies life. That is just like God to take things and to turn them upside down. By this instrument of death, the Son of God brought life to the world; he took away our sins and granted us pardon and peace.

So every time that you put on the cross necklace, every time that you make the sign of the cross when you pray, every time that you bow your head as the cross passes by in procession, every time that the priest blesses, give thanks for the cross on which hung the Savior of the World, for by His cross and resurrection, we have been freed.

Let us pray: O God, who by the passion of your blessed Son made an instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life and peace: Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ, that we may gladly suffer shame and loss for the sake of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


CALENDAR REMINDERS


Bishop's Committee Meeting after the service (this is the third Sunday of the month).

We will celebrate the ministry of St. Vincent’s House on Sunday, 25 September 2011 with Eucharist Rite II at St. Augustine of Hippo.

The Third Annual St. Augustine Art Show begins this month and the theme is "Love."

PLEASE REMEMBER THOSE ON OUR PRAYER LIST: We pray for all of those whose lives have been impacted by the wild fires blazing through Texas, especially the people of Bastrop and the congregation of Calvary Episcopal Church and their rector, the Rev. Lisa Hines. We pray for all of the unemployed. We pray in thanksgiving and gratitude for the generosity of St. Augustine’s friends who show the love of Christ to us, and especially for John J. Makowski, Jr.

“Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you remember Christ crucified and be silent.” —John of the Cross (1542-1591)

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

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