The Cross
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III speaks about the position and importance of the Cross and its deep significance in the Christian faith and life, explaining that the Cross is not merely a piece of wood or metal, nor simply an ornament or a movement by which we make the sign of the Cross, but carries deep spiritual, doctrinal, and theological meanings. He explains that making the sign of the Cross includes a confession of faith in the Holy Trinity and the oneness of God, while the movement from top to bottom points to the Incarnation, and from left to right points to redemption and the transition from darkness to light and from death to life.
Spiritual Message
The Cross is a source of pride for believers because it declares God’s love for humanity, as Christ offered Himself for the salvation of mankind, and it reminds us that we now belong to the One who purchased us at a price. The Cross is also a sign of power, blessing, and protection, and therefore the prayers and blessings of the Church and its holy sacraments are connected with it, according to the teaching presented by His Holiness in the lecture. He emphasizes that the believer should make the sign of the Cross with understanding and faith, rather than as an outward form without awareness of its meaning. He also explains that the Cross was the focus of Christ’s and the apostles’ preaching and a sign of discipleship to Him.
Educational Lesson
The Cross teaches us that faith is not only a matter of the mind, but that the body and senses participate together with the heart and spirit; therefore, the practice of making the sign of the Cross helps children from an early age to learn the faith and establish it within their souls. The practice of reverence, prostration, and making the sign of the Cross inside the church also teaches the child to respect God’s house and to feel its holiness and awe. The lecture also explains that the Cross reminds the believer of the doctrine of the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, when the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven.
Practical Spiritual Application
The practical meaning of the Cross is that a person carries his cross in life through striving, giving, service, and accepting hardship for God’s sake. The meaning of the Apostle Paul’s words, “I have been crucified with Christ,” is that a person crucifies his desires, wishes, and wrong thoughts so that he may no longer live for himself, but that Christ may live in him. This includes self-control, control of one’s thoughts and senses, enduring insults, keeping the commandments, fasting, asceticism, and laboring in service, preaching, and spreading the Kingdom of God. The Pope emphasizes that carrying the Cross for the Lord does not necessarily mean martyrdom, but can be expressed through every hardship, sacrifice, and endurance that a person offers with love for God and for the salvation of others. The Cross ultimately leads to a life in which Christ Himself lives in the person and to reigning with Him, because the path to the Kingdom passes through a life of suffering, sacrifice, and fellowship with Christ.
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