Message from Fr. Peter Andronache

September has two great feasts, the Nativity of the Theotokos and the Elevation of the Cross. The second of these again brings to mind the paradox of the cross. This is something that the Church has pondered through the ages and which continues to invite consideration. On page seven, we have some of St. Romanos the Melodist’s musings on the mystery of the cross.

In reading St. Romanos’s verses, we see a conversation between Hades and the devil. In the cross, the devil only sees wood. For him, the cross is another element of his victory. Hades, however, having received the One Who had been crucified, cries out, feeling its defeat. 

We have here a contrast between two ways to look at the same situation, and are reminded that God’s ways are not our ways. We often cannot see what God sees. That which seems obvious and straight-forward is not the truth.

We also see here a transformation. The devil means the cross for evil. And, for a while, it seems that he attains his purpose. But, in the end, God transforms the evil into good. The final victory is His and through death, life comes to the whole world. 

There are several examples in the Bible of stories in which we see God working in the same way. When Joseph is sold into slavery, he ends up becoming a leader in Egypt and is able to save his family. He specifically tells his brothers: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Gen. 50:20).

Peter’s denials could also have been the end of his apostleship. He may even have thought so himself, as he sat down and wept bitterly when he remember Christ prophesying his denials. But God always leaves the door open for repentance – the change of mind that brings us back to Him. And we certainly see this change in St. Peter as the leader of the apostles. The one who did not dare confess Christ before a servant soon proclaims Him in the temple in defiance of the Jewish leaders.

Moving up through history starting with the Roman empire, many times the political rulers have attempted to stamp out the Church through various forms of persecution. Yet the courage of the confessors and martyrs ultimately both strengthened those inside the Church and inspired those outside to become Christians.

The last example is a more challenging one and shows us St. Paul’s spiritual maturity. In 2 Corinthians, he writes: And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to [b]buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” Here, as in the crucifixion, we see God turning a device of the devil to good. But we also see something more. We see that the trial seemed to St. Paul, as it would to most of us, to be something bad and undesirable. He asked God for the obstacle to be removed and was told that this was beneficial to him in that it prevented him from being “exalted above measure.” St. Cyprian says that St. Paul “says that he was not harassed but was corrected by adversity in order that while he was the more heavily afflicted he might the more truly be tried.” Here, too, something that may seem like a victory of the devil, something that may seem bad to us, is turned by God into something that works for our salvation.

St. Cyprian also outlines what all this means for us as Christians.”When, therefore, some infirmity and weakness and desolation attacks us, then is our power made perfect, then our faith is crowned, if though tempted it has stood firm.” 

So let us hold on to our faith, remembering that God has, does, and will continue to turn sorrow into joy and defeat into victory. 

With love in Christ
+Fr. Peter