“The True Cross” – by Don Heatley

Over the past week the early church has been in the news a lot. The release of the ancient manuscript of the Gospel of Judas has been a catalyst for new discussions about Christian origins in some unexpected quarters. Personally, I think it’s always a good thing when people, especially those outside of church, talk about Jesus. Although this text most likely tells us little about the historical Jesus, it does illuminate for us how diverse and multifaceted the early church was in its beliefs.

Early Christians held beliefs and practices that to us may seem strange and even a little exotic to us. In the first few centuries of Christian tradition, there was a legend that was passed down about the Search for the True Cross. It was the story of how Helena, the mother of Constantine, went to Jerusalem to find the remnants of the actual cross on which Jesus was executed. In the ruins of Temple to Venus, she finds three crosses and decides to test each of them to determine which one is the true cross.

In the city, lived a prominent woman who was very sick. The legend says Helena brought a piece of the first cross to her bedside and it had no effect. She brought a piece of the second cross and again, no effect. Finally when a piece of the third cross was brought in the presence of the sick woman, her eyes opened, she stood up and began to thank God for her healing.

You and I approach this day, searching for the true cross. Like the people in that legend, we explore and test, seeking to find it. We approach this cross with ambivalence, simultaneously attracted and repelled by its story and imagery. It’s the same ambiguity that enables us to call Christianity’s darkest day “good.”

Tonight we enter that sacred story again. We come carrying all the baggage of the false crosses that we have been presented with in the past. We put those false crosses aside.

We leave behind the cross that was embossed on the shields and banners of the Crusades. We leave behind the cross that adorned the palaces of the rich while the poor starved outside their gates. We leave behind the cross on the bumper sticker that says “God Loves You” while parked at a church that does not welcome everyone. We leave behind the false crosses that has been used as weapons, as an instruments of arrogance or intolerance.

All of those false crosses leave us in our sickness. They have no power to heal or restore life.

Instead we seek tonight the true cross of Jesus Christ. The true cross that exposes the darkness in our world and in ourselves for what it is. The cross that looks unflinchingly at the blood, the screams and torture of this world and doesn’t deny it. The cross from which all those who suffer cry out, “Why have you forgotten about me God?” The true cross that is never easy, quick or cheap.

Tonight as followers of Jesus, we follow him to that cross. The true cross in both the 1^st century and the 21^st century is an instrument of transformation and restoration. It the place where we take a good hard look at the stark reality of the universe. The true cross calls us to look beyond simple-minded feel-good religion and face that reality.

But where others only see failure, despair, hate and hopelessness, we see the presence of God. We see a God who doesn’t cause the suffering in the world but one who participates in it. On the true cross we see the true man and the true God who says to us, “Forgive them. They know not what they do.”

On this cross God is reconciling you and I, in fact all of Creation, back to God’s self. It is the mystery of the true cross. There is no resurrection without crucifixion.

Tonight, you will encounter God here. You will encounter the true cross. It is a cross that is true, not because I tell you it is, but because you will experience its truth for yourself. So bring all of your sufferings, disappointments, failures, mistakes, and even your false crosses and lay them at the foot of this one.

"The True Cross" - by Don Heatley
Good Friday
A new take in an old legend
Over the past week the early church has been in the news a lot. The release of the ancient manuscript of the Gospel of Judas has been a catalyst for new discussions about Christian origins in some unexpected quarters. Personally, I think it’s always a good thing when people, especially those outside of church, talk about Jesus. Although this text most likely tells us little about the historical Jesus, it does illuminate for us how diverse and multifaceted the early church was in its beliefs. Early Christians held beliefs and practices that to us may seem strange and even a little exotic to us. In the first few centuries of Christian tradition, there was a legend that was passed down about the Search for the True Cross. It was the story of how Helena, the mother of Constantine, went to Jerusalem to find the remnants of the actual cross on which Jesus was executed. In the ruins of Temple to Venus, she finds three crosses and decides to test each of them to determine which one is the true cross. In the city, lived a prominent woman who was very sick. The legend says Helena brought a piece of the first cross to her bedside and it had no effect. She brought a piece of the second cross and again, no effect. Finally when a piece of the third cross was brought in the presence of the sick woman, her eyes opened, she stood up and began to thank God for her healing. You and I approach this day, searching for the true cross. Like the people in that legend, we explore and test, seeking to find it. We approach this cross with ambivalence, simultaneously attracted and repelled by its story and imagery. It’s the same ambiguity that enables us to call Christianity’s darkest day “good.” Tonight we enter that sacred story again. We come carrying all the baggage of the false crosses that we have been presented with in the past. We put those false crosses aside. We leave behind the cross that was embossed on the shields and banners of the Crusades. We leave behind the cross that adorned the palaces of the rich while the poor starved outside their gates. We leave behind the cross on the bumper sticker that says “God Loves You” while parked at a church that does not welcome everyone. We leave behind the false crosses that has been used as weapons, as an instruments of arrogance or intolerance. All of those false crosses leave us in our sickness. They have no power to heal or restore life. Instead we seek tonight the true cross of Jesus Christ. The true cross that exposes the darkness in our world and in ourselves for what it is. The cross that looks unflinchingly at the blood, the screams and torture of this world and doesn’t deny it. The cross from which all those who suffer cry out, “Why have you forgotten about me God?” The true cross that is never easy, quick or cheap. Tonight as followers of Jesus, we follow him to that cross. The true cross in both the 1^st century and the 21^st century is an instrument of transformation and restoration. It the place where we take a good hard look at the stark reality of the universe. The true cross calls us to look beyond simple-minded feel-good religion and face that reality. But where others only see failure, despair, hate and hopelessness, we see the presence of God. We see a God who doesn’t cause the suffering in the world but one who participates in it. On the true cross we see the true man and the true God who says to us, “Forgive them. They know not what they do.” On this cross God is reconciling you and I, in fact all of Creation, back to God’s self. It is the mystery of the true cross. There is no resurrection without crucifixion. Tonight, you will encounter God here. You will encounter the true cross. It is a cross that is true, not because I tell you it is, but because you will experience its truth for yourself. So bring all of your sufferings, disappointments, failures, mistakes, and even your false crosses and lay them at the foot of this one.