A Homily for the Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross (25)

“For me to boast is good only in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal 6:14)

Last time, beloved, we heard with what praises the holy servants of God spoke of the cross. Now together with the Apostle and with them I too, though very sinful, wish to boast of the power of the life-giving cross; for how could it be otherwise than that a priest, who accomplishes all services and all mysteries by the power of the cross and with the participation of the cross, does not himself experience the saving power of it? “For the power of God is the cross, salvation to all who believe” (Rom 1:16). And I would be very ungrateful before my Savior and Lord if I kept silence before this church gathering about the wondrous power of His cross, so often appearing and continually appearing upon me: “To guard the secret of the king well, but to declare the works of God gloriously” (Tov 12:11). In truth, by what do I live and am I preserved, sinful and weak as I am? By the power of the cross. Who protects me from the invisible enemies warring against me? The cross. Who is my helper in the struggle against the passions? “From my youth many have warred against me” (Antiphon 4). The Cross of the Lord. The cross protects me from enemies. The Christian, beloved, who desires to live piously in Christ Jesus, if not openly, then inwardly, and often both outwardly and inwardly is always persecuted. But it would be strange and terrible to hear from the lips of a priest, and for the priest himself to say, that he does not wish to live piously; for if anyone, then the priest should strive above all others to live a godly life. Therefore, “those who desire to live piously in Christ Jesus are persecuted”—according to Scripture—“by all” (2Tim 3:12). I do not speak of external enemies. They are easier to overcome precisely because they are visible; when they persecute, remember only with faith what Christ suffered for us, and then easily shall you bear their persecution. We cannot pass over in silence the internal enemies—demons: “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12); their persecution is always extremely malicious, precise, venomous, deadly. Meanwhile it is accomplished within—in the heart. What is a Christian to do? How to drive away invisible evildoers who have seized the very heart? No material weapon will help drive them out; meanwhile the torments they cause are extremely painful for the soul: it is fire mercilessly devouring one’s inner being. What then is the remedy—to drive them out and instantly destroy the torments they cause? The Cross of the Lord, or the sign of the life-giving cross with living faith in Him crucified upon it, made upon the breast or the belly. How with a hand one wipes it away: suddenly the inner torments vanish, the demons flee. Then, it is, that one cannot but cry out with joy: Rejoice, O precious and life-giving cross of the Lord, driving away demons by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ crucified upon you (Prayer to the honored cross). And many times I, humble and sinful, have driven away invisible evildoers in this way. If some passion assails my heart, I instantly turn my mental gaze to Christ and with living faith make the sign of the cross upon myself: the passion instantly vanishes and the inner fire, inseparable companion of every passion, also vanishes. But sometimes, alas! passions carry me away for a time, and only the torments suffered within force me to turn sincerely to Christ and to His life-giving cross. Thus the cross, beloved, is my victory—over invisible enemies. Where I cannot reach to drive them away, there my Christ penetrates in the image of His cross and for me accomplishes the desired victory. Wonderful is the Lord in me, wonderful His life-giving cross! “God’s power is made perfect in my weakness” (2Cor 12:9). Invisible enemies, invisibly and mercilessly striking my soul with burning arrows, killing my spirit with sorrow and anguish, flee from the awesome name of Jesus Christ and the sign of the cross: it burns them as they burn me, and the Lord repays them equally for me in equal measure. Suddenly my soul becomes light, and it grows clear as after threatening dark clouds.

Therefore, beloved, let us make the sign of the cross upon ourselves with great faith; and it will always be our shield and guardian. Amen.