The True Cross

The above is the Reliquary made to encase the True Cross.
Today is the day that we honor the finding by St. Helena of the True Cross of Jesus's Crucifixion. The crosses from that day, three in all, were hidden by the Jews, but were found 300+ years later by St. Helena, the mother of Constantine. After they were found, they were put to the test. Each was applied to a woman who had a dangerous malady. The first two did nothing, while the Third, when applied to this woman, was restored to perfect, thus proving which one had been the True One. Pieces have been shipped all the world to help us with our faith. A very holy priest I knew(God rest his soul) had such a piece, which he put into a monstrance which he had found in a dumpster when Detroit was shutting down churches. I wonder, what else was thrown away, never to be seen again? I will now borrow from our beloved Abbot Gueranger about this day:

'How dear, then, to us should this day be, which blends together the recollection of the holy Cross and the joys of the Resurrection of that Jesus who by the Cross has won the throne to which we shall soon see his having restored to mankind a treasure so immensely precious as is the Cross. Until the day comes for it to appear with Himself in the clouds of heaven, Jesus has entrusted it to his spouse(the Church), as a pledge of his second coming. On that day, he will collect together all the fragments by his divine power; and the Tree of Life will then gladden the elect with its dazzling beauty, and invite them to eternal rest beneath its refreshing shade.'

This has been an awesome week, with St. Catherine of Siena, St. Joseph. Pius V, St. Athanasius. Man, the Church sure has had some extraordinary people within her walls. May we be blessed with such in our time, even though we don't deserve it.

Let us call to mind what we should focus on today, and for that fact on all days, even though finding the Cross was spectacular, to say the least:

"Let us adore Christ our King, who hung upon the wood, and wood the wood."
St. Ambrose

And, tomorrow, we honor the Shroud of Turin, our Lord's burial cloth. What a week!