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Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Reading 1 : Numbers 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!”

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.”
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.

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

R. (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!

Reading 2 : Philippians 2:6-11

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

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,
because by your Cross you have redeemed the world.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : John 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.”

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.

Message from the Readings

Today’s feast proclaims a profound truth:
The Cross is not a symbol of defeat—it is the throne of God’s saving love.
• In the desert, the bronze serpent becomes a sign of healing.
• The psalm reveals God’s mercy despite human failure.
• Paul shows Christ’s humility and exaltation.
• Jesus declares that His lifting up on the Cross brings eternal life.
The message is clear: The Cross transforms suffering into salvation, death into life, and despair into hope.

 Reflection for the Day

The Israelites in the desert are tired, frustrated, and rebellious. They complain against God and Moses, and their hearts grow bitter. The serpents that bite them are not only physical—they symbolize the poison of sin, pride, and ingratitude.
Yet when they cry out, God does not abandon them. He provides a remedy: a bronze serpent lifted high, a sign that healing comes from looking up—not down.
This moment foreshadows the Cross.
Psalm 78 reminds us that God’s mercy is constant:
• He forgives.
• He restrains His anger.
• He remembers we are fragile.
Even when we fail, He remains faithful.
Then Paul gives us one of the most beautiful hymns in Scripture:
Christ emptied Himself.
Christ humbled Himself. Christ obeyed unto death—death on a Cross.
Because of this, God exalts Him above every name. The Cross becomes the doorway to glory.
Finally, Jesus reveals the heart of the Father:
“God did not send His Son to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through Him.”
The Cross is not a punishment—it is a rescue. Not a symbol of shame—but of love. Not the end—but the beginning of salvation.
Today’s feast invites us to three movements:

1. Look to the Cross for healing.
   Lift your eyes from fear, sin, and discouragement.
2. Embrace Christ’s humility.
   Let His self‑emptying love reshape your heart.
3. Trust in God’s saving purpose.
   The Cross is proof that love wins.
   Let today be a day of gratitude, surrender, and renewed hope in the power of the Cross.

 Prayer for Today

Lord Jesus, I lift my eyes to Your Holy Cross, the sign of Your love and my salvation.
Heal what is wounded, restore what is broken, and free me from the poison of sin.
Teach me humility, give me courage, and help me trust Your saving plan.
May Your Cross be my strength today and my hope forever.
Amen.