As we reach the middle of our journey through the Great Fast, we often find that our initial enthusiasm has begun to fade. The rigors of the season can feel like a heavy burden and our spiritual energy might be flagging as we realize how far we still have to go before we reach the light of the Resurrection. This is precisely why the Church in her wisdom places the Precious and Life-Giving Cross before us on this third Sunday. We are like travelers in a dry and thirsty desert who suddenly come upon a shady tree with refreshing water. The Cross stands in the center of the fast as a source of strength and a reminder that our struggle is never in vain.
The Gospel for today reminds us that whoever desires to come after Christ must deny himself and take up his cross. For many of us, this sounds like a call to misery or a demand for impossible suffering, but the Orthodox tradition views this quite differently. To take up the cross is to embrace the reality of our lives with humility and trust. It means laying down our own will and our constant need to be in control so that God can work within us. When we stop fighting against the circumstances that refine our souls, we find a strange and beautiful peace that the world cannot offer.
We often think of the Cross only as an instrument of death, but on this Sunday, we celebrate it as the weapon of peace and the trophy of victory. It is the bridge between our fallen state and the kingdom of heaven. Just as the Israelites in the wilderness were healed by looking upon the bronze serpent, we are healed of our spiritual sicknesses by looking upon the wood of the Cross. It reminds us that there is no resurrection without a crucifixion and there is no true joy without the willingness to sacrifice our ego. Every prostration we make and every prayer we utter is a small participation in this cosmic mystery of love.
As you stand before the decorated Cross today and breathe in the scent of the flowers that surround it, let your heart be encouraged. Do not be dismayed by your failures or your lack of progress during the first half of Lent. The Lord does not demand perfection from us, but He does ask for our persistence. He sees the hidden struggles of the heart and the quiet efforts to be kind when we are tired or hungry. The Cross is proof that God has entered into our suffering and has transformed it into a path toward eternal life.
Take this moment to rest under the shadow of the The Cross. Let it remind you that the goal of our journey is not merely the end of a fast, but a complete union with the Savior who gave His life for the world. We are halfway to the empty tomb and the light of Pascha is already beginning to glimmer on the horizon. Keep your eyes fixed on the Cross and you will find the strength to finish the race with a spirit of gratitude and hope.
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