Vigils Reading

THE CROSS OF CHRIST

From a sermon by St Aelred of Rievaulx

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Our Lord Jesus Christ worked for our salvation not in one way only but in

many. Because his mercy provided for our redemption, he accomplished it in

such a way that he might be an example for us. Behold, my brothers, how at this

time you call to mind our redemption; therefore pay diligent attention not only

to the redemption itself but also to both the manner by which redemption was

accomplished and the place in which it was done. The manner of the

redemption is the passion of Christ; the place outside the city. You must know

then that from this redemption and the manner of accomplishing it, we receive

both a way of living and the right location that we must choose in order to live in

this way.

Let us accept now the way of living that comes from this cross of Jesus. Do

I say a way of living or of dying? Certainly both of living and of dying: of of dying

to the world, of living for God; of dying to vices, and of living in virtues; of dying

to the flesh, of living however in the Spirit. Therefore in the cross of Christ there

is death and in the cross of Christ there is life. There the death of death and the

life of life. There the death of sins and the life of virtues. There the death of the

flesh and the life of the Spirit. Why, however did God choose this kind of death?

Because of both the divine mystery itself and the example to be given. Then, too,

because our illness was such that the remedy should fit in this way.

It was certainly fitting that we who had fallen through the wood would rise

up through the wood. Fitting that he who conquered through the wood would

himself be conquered through it. Fitting that we who chose the fruit of death

from the wood would be given the fruit of life from the wood. And because we

fell from the stability of this most beautiful earth into the great and spacious sea,

it is fitting that wood be prepared for us by which we would cross over that sea.

For no one can cross the sea without wood, nor this world without the cross…

Therefore do you see how Christ chose this kind of death as full of some

divine meaning…? The Apostle explains it openly, saying, He humbled himself,

being made obedient even to death, death on the cross. He then proclaims the

meaning: Because of this, God exalted him and gave him the name which is

above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven,

on earth, and in the depths. Because he was about to take possession of heaven

and earth through the cross, he was placed on the cross as if he embraced

heaven and earth. Since in truth his death has already taken place not on the

earth nut above the earth, what can it mean except that, raised up as we are

from the earth through his blessed passion, we taste what is above, not those

things on earth. The fact that he died with arms outstretched is a sign of his

great loving kindness. Just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wing and

defends them from a persistent raptor, so he, clasping us with maternal

affection under the wings of his grace, makes us completely secure against the

attack of heinous spirits.