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Sunday of the Veneration of the
Cross
In the middle
of Great Lent, the Church gives us a sign of victory, one that can bring strength to us in this time of fasting. The
Sunday of the Holy Cross brings everything into perspective, especially with the Gospel reading in which Jesus tells us: "If anyone wishes to follow me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." With the bearing of our crosses during Great Lent, we also come to venerate
the Cross of Christ: at the conclusion of the Liturghy we prostrate before and venerate a relic of his Cross.
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The following readings below are for Sunday, March
24, 2019:
Today's Epistle reading [Hebrews 4.14-5.6]:
Since then
we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For
we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as
we are, yet without sinning. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy
and find grace to help in time of need.
For every high priest chosen from
among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal
gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is bound to offer
sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not take the honor upon himself, but he
is called by God, just as Aaron was.
So also Christ did not exalt himself
to be made a high priest, but he was appointed by him who said to him,
"Thou
art my Son, today I have begotten thee"; as he says also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek."
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The Gospel reading for today
[Mark 8.34-9.1]:
And
he called to him the multitude with his disciples, and said to them, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself
and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my
sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forgeit his life? For
what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful
generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."
And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see
the kingdom of God come with power."
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