Feast of the Triumph of the Cross

Reflection Date: September 14, 2026 | Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Daily Readings: Numbers 21:4b-9; Philippians 2:6-11; John 3:13-17

Children of God:
The Feast of the Triumph of the Cross developed from some of the most dramatic moments in the early history of Christianity and Jerusalem. 

In the fourth century, Emperor Constantine supported the construction of Christian churches in Jerusalem, and his mother, Helena, was traditionally associated with the discovery of the Cross of Jesus. 

Around the year 335, major basilicas were dedicated at the sites associated with Calvary and the Holy Sepulchre, and the Cross was solemnly displayed for Christian veneration. 

The celebration eventually became connected with September 14, a date associated with the dedication of these Jerusalem churches and the public honoring of the Cross. 

Centuries later, Jerusalem experienced another dramatic chapter when the Persian king Chosroes II captured the city in 614 and took the relic of the Cross to Persia. 

Emperor Heraclius eventually defeated the Persians, and the Cross was recovered and returned to Jerusalem in 629. 

Tradition tells of Heraclius attempting to carry the Cross into Jerusalem dressed in imperial clothing, only to find himself unable to move forward until he removed his royal garments, walked humbly and barefoot. 

The story became a powerful reminder that the Cross was not a trophy for political power but a sign of Christ’s humility and self-giving love. 

By the seventh century, the feast was already observed in Rome, and its celebration eventually became established throughout the Latin Church. 

Over the centuries, September 14 became known as the Exaltation, or Triumph, of the Holy Cross, not because Christians glorified suffering itself but because they celebrated what Christ accomplished through the Cross.

That history makes the feast especially interesting because the Cross itself went through a strange journey: it was discovered, honored, lost, captured, recovered, carried in triumph, and eventually became one of the most recognizable symbols in human history. 

But behind all those historical events is a deeper question: Why would Christians call something associated with torture and execution a triumph? 

The answer becomes clearer when we listen to what Jesus said to Nicodemus.

In the gospel of John, Jesus spoke about being lifted up just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert. 

He explained that this lifting up would lead to life, and then he gave the reason behind it: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” (John 3:16) 

The Cross, therefore, was not simply about pain; it was about love choosing to remain faithful even when love became costly.

So, what are our inspirations for today?

First, the Cross reminds us that love is proven when it becomes costly.

Jesus did not save the world by avoiding every difficult thing. 

In the gospel story, he spoke about being lifted up, pointing toward the Cross that awaited him. 

We often think that love should always make life easier, happier, and more comfortable. 

But anyone who has truly loved knows that love sometimes demands sacrifice. 

Parents sacrifice for their children, caregivers sacrifice their time, friends remain beside someone during a difficult season, and people forgive even when forgiveness costs them something emotionally.

The Cross therefore challenges us to ask whether our love survives when loving becomes inconvenient. 

It reminds us that some of the most meaningful things we do are not the things that receive applause but the sacrifices nobody notices. 

Sometimes the greatest expression of love is simply refusing to walk away when walking away would be easier.

The Cross reminds us that love is proven when it becomes costly.

Second, the Cross reminds us that a painful chapter is only part of a greater story. 

The disciples experienced fear, disappointment, and confusion, while the enemies of Jesus could have considered the crucifixion a complete victory.

 Yet the Cross became part of the story of salvation.

We also experience moments when life seems to have reached a dead end.

For example: a failed relationship, a financial problem, a family conflict, a career disappointment, a sickness, a personal mistake, or the death of someone we love can make us wonder whether anything good can still come from what happened.

The Cross does not tell us that suffering is automatically good or that we should simply accept every injustice. 

It tells us something more hopeful: God can enter even the darkest places and bring life where we see only loss. 

The Cross invites us to trust that the chapter we are living today may be painful, but it does not necessarily define the ending of our story.

The Cross reminds us that a painful chapter is only part of a greater story. 

As we reflect, we ask ourselves: What painful experience in my life am I struggling to believe can still produce something meaningful? 

What sacrifice am I being invited to make because I genuinely love another person? When I look at the Cross, do I see only suffering, or can I also recognize the possibility of love, hope, and new life?

Children of God:
The Cross is one of the most familiar symbols in the world, but familiarity can sometimes make us forget how shocking its message really is. 

Christians placed their hope in something that once represented humiliation, torture, and death. 

The feast of the Triumph of the Cross therefore does not celebrate pain for the sake of pain. 

It celebrates the love that remained faithful in the middle of pain. 

Today, let us look at the Cross not simply as an object hanging on a wall but as a reminder that love truly conquers all.