A Powerful Thought: the Elevation of the Precious, Life-Giving Cross and Christian Behavior

There is a wonderful new blog dedicated to the benefits of cognitive

therapy, in relation to the proven therapeutic method of the Church

Fathers, in their treatment for the healing of the soul. I think this

has the potential of becoming a wonderful resource.

The name of the blog is Ancient Christian Wisdom.

Today begins the Leavetaking of the Elevation of the Holy Cross.
For your benefit I have reproduced the beginning of a post concerning

this subject that was published by Ancient Christian Wisdom. At the 

end of this fragment there is a link to the original post so you can 

read this article in full.

“Before Thy Cross, O Master, we bow down and worship, and Thy Holy Resurrection we glorify!”

In general, our behavior is shaped by our thoughts, but only by those thoughts that are powerful enough to grab our attention and to stir our will. And among the billions of potential thoughts we can have, there is one thought, one remembrance that is especially powerful and stirring, and that that is the thought of the Cross of our Savior and bowing before it in the glory of His Resurrection. This is why two weeks into the new ecclesiastical year, Orthodox Christians take courage and strength for leading the Christian way of life by allowing the Cross to fill the horizon of their mind, to fill their heart with gratitude for the One Who hung upon it, and then to venerate this precious and life-giving Cross by bowing down before It and by making It a way of life. Even before the events of Holy Friday, the cross immediately grabbed the attention of any who would see that instrument of brutal torture and execution meant to discourage criminals from breaking civil laws. But with the death of the innocent and loving Lamb of God on that Cross, the Cross was invested with the power of sacrificial love and with the glory of the Resurrection. And so, what once attracted attention as an instrument of torture and death, now draws all of humanity towards It as the symbol and vehicle of healing and eternal life. Of course, it’s a paradox that exceeds the rational mind, but it’s also a paradox that heals the rational mind. Saint Paul reflects upon this paradox when he writes, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But emptied (ekenose) Himself, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

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