Dear Parishioners of Saint Polycarp,
Greetings and peace in the Lord Jesus. This weekend of September 14 marks the solemn celebration of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. This celebration draws me to meditate on this beautiful prayer which the Church prays at Stations of the Cross during Lent: “We adore you, oh Christ, and we praise you, for by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.”
The first part of the prayer, “We adore you…” expresses the deep veneration, praise, and worship to Christ. The second part of the prayer, “For by your holy Cross…” expresses the reason for the praise and the worship of Jesus. For Christians, the holy Cross points to the salvific act of God by which the Son of God, our Savior Jesus, shed his blood for the salvation of humanity. Christian theology on the Cross teaches that Jesus through his dying on the Cross frees and saves the human race from the power of sins and death.
The Gospel of John for this solemnity captures well the theology of the Cross, “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” (Jn 3:14).
One of the many symbols and signs which I like about our Catholic Church is the dominant presence of the cross hanging in every church. To the non-believers and even to some lukewarm Catholics, the Cross may be a sign of cruelty. Yet, to the believers and those who truly accepted Christ, the Cross is a sign of hope and salvation, for through it the Savior of the world was hung for the sins of the world, and humanity is reconciled to God.
Another rich symbol which I also love about the Cross is its vertical and horizontal dimension. To me, the vertical dimension points to the presence and love of God for humanity through Jesus; and the horizontal dimension the love of God embracing humanity in Jesus and showing us to also love one another.
Next weekend of September 19-21, our parish is hosting the annual Fiesta. I thank all the volunteers and ministry leaders for preparing and supporting this family event for the parish. At the same time, I join my brother priests, deacons, religious sisters, and parish staff to invite you to build our parish community through the Fiesta. Your presence and support is like that horizontal dimension of the Cross, embracing the presence of our fellow parishioners and neighbors of Saint Polycarp. I look forward to seeing you at the Fiesta.
May God bless you and your family always.
Fr. Viet Peter Ho
Pastor