Exultation of The Lord's Holy Cross

16 hours ago

2 min read

Saturday 26th September 2026 @ 7pm

Good Sheppherd Chapel, Abbotsford

This evening was a quiet night on the roads to Abbotsford as people stayed home for the AFL Grand Final at which the wet weather beaconed indoors. Yet the bells called our people to prayer, a night marked with a reflective silence in pondering the mystery of the Holy Cross.

Reader Patrick read the lesson which apostle Paul exhorted to the people of his time regarding the cross as our true anchor and hope. The divine liturgy was led by Father Matthew who gave a touching homily regarding his first encounter with the Holy Cross as a child, a means of hope in his youth, and the sure strength within his priestly ministry.

Metropolitan Raffaele sung the praises of the Cross with various hymns, leading the congregation in song from the organ.

Before reception of the Divine Mysteries, the Metropolitan gave a catechesis reminding us why the saviour redeemed us via the Holy Cross - reversing the fragility of humanity which lost itself to sin. As the cross has two beams - vertical and horizontal - so were there two trees in the garden of the genesis; that of life and knowledge. As humanity was lured in, taking the forbidden fruit, so were the hands of the saviour pierced. As Eve was lured via the power of suggestion through the serpent and gave the fruit to Adam, so was the saviours side pierced, for Eve was created via the taking of Adam's rib. As the Virgin Mary was obedient to God in giving him a womb, bone, flesh, and blood so that Emmanuel may find himself a dwelling amongst us, it is the seed (Jesus) of the Holy Woman (the theotokos) that crushes the serpents head as Isaiah, foretold via the Saviour's feet being pierced. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, thorns grew out of the ground choking the vegetation - the reason why the Saviour was crowned with thorns to reverse its' curse.

Holy Communion was administered to all by Fr Matthew with the assistance of Sub Deacon Michael and Server Luke.

At the end of the Liturgy the congregation moved forward and venerated the cross which was raised in blessing - resting on basil. The basil was the very bush that indicated where the true cross was buried - a revelation bestowed by the Lord to St. Helen who came to Jerusalem in order to commence the building of shrines on holy sites.