Daily Readings September 14, 2012

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Early in the fourth century St. Helena, mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine, went to Jerusalem in search of the holy places of Christ's life. She razed the Temple of Aphrodite, which tradition held was built over the Savior's tomb, and her son built the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher over the tomb. During the excavation, workers found three crosses. Legend has it that the one on which Jesus died was identified when its touch healed a dying woman. Read more.

Lectionary: 638

First Reading from the Old Testament book of Numbers

Nm 21:4b-9

With their patience worn out by the journey,
the people complained against God and Moses,
"Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert,
where there is no food or water?
We are disgusted with this wretched food!"

The ever so patient people of Israel were demanding that God and Moses provide better living conditions since they had forced them to leave their beloved Egypt where Pharao had previously pampered them.

In punishment the LORD sent among the people saraph serpents,
which bit the people so that many of them died.
Then the people came to Moses and said,
"We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you.
Pray the LORD to take the serpents from us."

God punished them by sending poisonous snakes to bite the disobedient people and kill them.   The funny (in the sense of strange) thing here is that "seraph" means "angel".  To be more precise, it is a certain class of angel which is known as the "fiery" one.  A seraph serpent then, is also a "dragon".  Dragons are fiery serpents.  They blow fire through their nose, remember?

Note something else.  The people know that they need for Moses to intercede on their behalf.  This is a foreshadowing of the Papacy and of the intercession of the Saints in our behalf.

So Moses prayed for the people, and the LORD said to Moses,
"Make a saraph and mount it on a pole,
and if any who have been bitten look at it, they will live."
Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole,
and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent
looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

Jesus' makes mention of this when He says:

John 12:32-33
King James Version (KJV)
³² And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.³³ This he said, signifying what death he should die.

The Bronze Serpent was a foreshadowing of the Crucifixion of Christ.

There are some other Catholic truths highlighted here.
1.  It is by Moses' hand that this image was made.  This underscores the Catholic doctrine of holy relics, which are items touched by Saints and which God uses to bestow His grace through their intercession..  We can see this also depicted in the New Testament:

Acts 19:12
King James Version (KJV)
¹² So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

2.  The people had to treat this image with reverence.  This supports the Catholic doctrine of sacramentals.  Holy images such as rosaries, crucifixes and metals which we wear to remind us of the Saints and which we believe convey God's blessings.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 78:1bc-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38

Response. (see 7b) Do not forget the works of the Lord!

Hearken, my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable,
I will utter mysteries from of old.

R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!

While he slew them they sought him
and inquired after God again,
Remembering that God was their rock
and the Most High God, their redeemer.

R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!

But they flattered him with their mouths
and lied to him with their tongues,
Though their hearts were not steadfast toward him,
nor were they faithful to his covenant.

R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!

But he, being merciful, forgave their sin
and destroyed them not;
Often he turned back his anger
and let none of his wrath be roused.

R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!

This Psalm speaks of the great patience and mercy of God.  

Second Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Philippians

 Phil 2:6-11

St. Paul begins to reveal many spiritual truths to the Philippians.

Brothers and sisters:
Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.

St. Paul explains that although Jesus is God, yet was humble enough to come to us as a human being.  

Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to death,

Most of us know that Jesus obeyed the Father by offering His life for His sheep:

Matthew 16:21-24
King James Version (KJV)
²¹ From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.²² Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.²³ But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

But many of us do not know that Jesus also obeyed the human authority which God had established in that day, the Sanhedrin:

John 11:49-51
King James Version (KJV)
⁴⁹ And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,⁵⁰ Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.⁵¹ And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;

even death on a cross.

Death on a cross is especially heinous.

Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

And so, Christ gave us an example to follow in His footsteps.

1 Peter 2:21
King James Version (KJV)
²¹ For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

Gospel Jn 3:13-17

Jesus said to Nicodemus:
"No one has gone up to heaven
except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."

As we noted above, the bronze serpent was a foreshadowing of Jesus crucifixion by which He cured those who obey Him, of our sins.  Scripture says:

Hebrews 5:8-10
King James Version (KJV)
⁸ Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;⁹ And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;¹⁰ Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.

Amen!  Jesus came to save us.  He died so that we might live:

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11
King James Version (KJV)
⁹ For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,¹⁰ Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.¹¹ Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

This is the Good News of our salvation!  Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus!

Sincerely,

De Maria