24th Feast of the Triumph of the Cross

Welcome to our Bible
Study
Feast of the Triumph of the Cross A
14 September 2014
In preparation for this Sunday’s Liturgy
In aid of focusing our homilies and sharing

1st reading: Numbers 21:4b-9
 4b With their patience worn out by the journey, 5 the people
complained against God and Moses, "Why have you
brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there
is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched
food!" 6 In punishment the LORD sent among the people
saraph serpents, which bit the people so that many of them
died. 7 Then the people came to Moses and said, "We
have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you.
Pray the LORD to take the serpents from us." So Moses
prayed for the people, 8 and the LORD said to Moses,
"Make a saraph and mount it on a pole, and if anyone who
has been bitten looks at it, he will recover." 9 Moses
accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a
pole, and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a
serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he recovered.

 4b With their patience worn out by the journey, 5 the people
complained against God and Moses, "Why have you
brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there
is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched
food!" 6 In punishment the LORD sent among the people
saraph serpents, which bit the people so that many of them
died. 7 Then the people came to Moses and said, "We
have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you.
Pray the LORD to take the serpents from us." So Moses
prayed for the people, 8 and the LORD said to Moses,
"Make a saraph and mount it on a pole, and if anyone who
has been bitten looks at it, he will recover." 9 Moses
accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a
pole, and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a
serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he recovered.
The focus is on the bronze serpent.

People complain
 4b With their patience worn out by the journey, 5 the people complained
against God and Moses, "Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die
in this desert, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this
wretched food!“
God punishes
 6 In punishment the LORD sent among the people saraph serpents,
which bit the people so that many of them died.
People ask Moses to pray for them
 7 Then the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned in
complaining against the LORD and you. Pray the LORD to take the
serpents from us."
Moses prays and the Lord’s response
 So Moses prayed for the people, 8 and the LORD said to Moses, "Make
a saraph and mount it on a pole, and if anyone who has been bitten looks
at it, he will recover."
Moses obeys, people recover
 9 Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole,
and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the
bronze serpent, he recovered.
A simple outline!

People complain
 4b With their patience worn out by the
journey, 5 the people complained against
God and Moses, "Why have you brought us
up from Egypt to die in this desert, where
there is no food or water? We are disgusted
with this wretched food!“
God punishes
 6 In punishment the LORD sent among the
people saraph serpents, which bit the people
so that many of them died.
 7 Then the people came to Moses and said,
"We have sinned in complaining against the
LORD and you. Pray the LORD to take the
serpents from us."
 So Moses prayed for the people, 8 and the
LORD said to Moses, "Make a saraph and
mount it on a pole, and if anyone who has
been bitten looks at it, he will recover."
 9 Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent
and mounted it on a pole, and whenever
anyone who had been bitten by a serpent
looked at the bronze serpent, he recovered.
Commentary
 V.4b explains why the people
complain.
• They have no more patience,
because of the long journey.
 V.5 the people direct their
complaint against Moses and
God.
 They don’t like where they are:
• in the desert where there is no
food, there is no water.
 They don’t see the reason why
they should be there.
• They are only passing by that
place en route to the promised
land.
 In v.6, God punishes them for
their narrow-mindedness by
sending saraph serpents (fiery
serpents).
 Many of the people die.

People complain
 4b With their patience worn out by the journey, 5
the people complained against God and Moses,
"Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in
this desert, where there is no food or water? We
are disgusted with this wretched food!“
God punishes
 6 In punishment the LORD sent among the people
saraph serpents, which bit the people so that many
of them died.
 7 Then the people came to Moses and said, "We
have sinned in complaining against the LORD and
you. Pray the LORD to take the serpents from us."
 So Moses prayed for the people, 8 and the LORD
said to Moses, "Make a saraph and mount it on a
pole, and if anyone who has been bitten looks at it,
he will recover."
 9 Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and
mounted it on a pole, and whenever anyone who
had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze
serpent, he recovered.
 In v.7, the people repent. They
recognize their fault (sin).
 They ask Moses to intercede for
them. Moses is an intercessor
for the people, even for the
Pharaoh before.
 In v.7b, Moses intercedes for
them to God to remove the
deadly serpents away from
them.
 In v.8, God orders Moses to
make a saraph and mount it on a
pole for the people to see, so
that they may recover.
 In v.9, Moses obeys God and
makes a serpent made of metal
(bronze).
 V.9b indicates that the bronze
serpent is effective.

Reflections on the 1st reading
 God does not tolerate misguided complaints.
 God does not give in to the illegitimate
demands of the people who have traveled
much and gets exhausted.
 To God, there is no going back to Egypt where
there is plenty of food. That is moot and
academic.
 God challenges his people to move on.
 They should overcome their hunger and
boredom and see a better future.

Reflections, con’t
 The first reading reveals a pattern in which
God shows his mercy.
• People commit sin.
• They are punished by God.
• When in pain, they cry out to God for mercy.
• Then God saves them.
 This will be the same pattern in the book of the
Judges.
 We also experience the same pattern in our
lives.

Reflections, con’t
 Since it is the feast of the exaltation/
triumph of the cross, we focus on the
bronze serpent.
 The raising of the bronze serpent for all
to see is a foreshadowing of the
crucifixion of Christ for our salvation.

2nd reading: Philippians 2:6-11
 6 Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God something to be
grasped. 7 Rather, he emptied himself, taking the
form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and
found human in appearance, 8 he humbled
himself, becoming obedient to death, even death
on a cross. 9 Because of this, God greatly
exalted him and bestowed on him the name that
is above every name, 10 that at the name of
Jesus every knee should bend, of those in
heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and
every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to
the glory of God the Father.

 6 Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God something to be
form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and
found human in appearance, 8 he humbled
himself, becoming obedient to death, even death
on a cross. 9 Because of this, God greatly
exalted him and bestowed on him the name that
is above every name, 10 that at the name of
Jesus every knee should bend, of those in
heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and
every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to
the glory of God the Father.
The focus is on the dying on a cross.

Christ emptying (kenosis)
 6 Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did
not regard equality with God something to be
form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found
human in appearance, 8 he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.
Christ exaltation
 9 Because of this, God greatly exalted him and
bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
A simple outline!

2nd reading: Philippians 2,6-11
 6 Christ Jesus, though he was in the
form of God, did not regard equality
with God something to be grasped.
7 Rather, he emptied himself, taking
the form of a slave, coming in
human likeness; and found human
in appearance, 8 he humbled
himself, becoming obedient to
death, even death on a cross.
Christ exaltation
 9 Because of this, God greatly
exalted him and bestowed on him
the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every
knee should bend, of those in
heaven and on earth and under the
earth, 11 and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
glory of God the Father.
Commentary
 V.6 tells us that Christ Jesus is God,
yet he did not remain to be in the
form of God.
 V.7 tells us that Christ voluntarily
emptied himself of his God-ness.
 Now he takes the form of a slave
(lowest class of human status).
 He becomes fully human.
 In vv.7b-8, as if being human was
not enough, Christ even humbled
himself unto death, not just an
ordinary death, but death on a
cross.
 There is no other more humiliating
way to die than to die like a criminal
or to die stripped off even of his
dignity or his humanity (total
kenosis)

2nd reading: Philippians 2,6-11
 6 Christ Jesus, though he was in the
form of God, did not regard equality
with God something to be grasped.
7 Rather, he emptied himself, taking
the form of a slave, coming in
human likeness; and found human
in appearance, 8 he humbled
himself, becoming obedient to
death, even death on a cross.
Christ exaltation
 9 Because of this, God greatly
exalted him and bestowed on him
the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every
knee should bend, of those in
heaven and on earth and under the
earth, 11 and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
 V.9 immediately reverts the
fate of Christ.
 God intervenes at Jesus’
lowest level.
 God exalts him.
 He bestows him a name, not
just an ordinary name, but a
name that
• makes all knees bend in
heaven, earth and under the
earth. V.10
• makes all tongues confess his
pre-eminence. V.11
 All these are done for the

Reflections on the 2nd reading
 The cross is the center of the passage.
 Christ’s incarnation finds its ultimate fulfillment,
completeness or perfection in his crucifixion.
 Also, in the cross is the start of Christ’s
exaltation.
 Jesus cannot move farther down, but through
God’s intervention, he goes up.
 God is pleased with Jesus’ total obedience so
that he awarded his Son with something (a
name) that has never been given to anyone (a
name that commands respect and fear).

Gospel reading: John 3:13-17
 13 Jesus said to Nicodemus, “No one has gone
up to heaven except the one who has come down
from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And just as
Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must
the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 so that everyone
who believes in him may have eternal life." 16
For God so loved the world that he gave his only
Son, so that everyone who believes in him might
not perish but might have eternal life. 17 For God
did not send his Son into the world to condemn
the world, but that the world might be saved
through him.

 13 Jesus said to Nicodemus, “No one has gone
up to heaven except the one who has come down
from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And just as
Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must
the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 so that everyone
who believes in him may have eternal life." 16
For God so loved the world that he gave his only
Son, so that everyone who believes in him might
not perish but might have eternal life. 17 For God
did not send his Son into the world to condemn
the world, but that the world might be saved
through him.
The focus is on the crucifixion of Christ.

Parallelism of the bronze serpent and Christ on the
cross
 13 Jesus said to Nicodemus, “No one has gone up to
heaven except the one who has come down from
heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And just as Moses lifted up
the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be
lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him may
have eternal life."
God’s love through his Son
 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his
Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the
world might be saved through him.
A simple outline!

Parallelism of the bronze serpent
and Christ on the cross
 13 Jesus said to Nicodemus, “No
one has gone up to heaven except
the one who has come down from
heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And
just as Moses lifted up the serpent
in the desert, so must the Son of
Man be lifted up, 15 so that
everyone who believes in him may
have eternal life."
 16 For God so loved the world that
he gave his only Son, so that
everyone who believes in him
might not perish but might have
eternal life. 17 For God did not
send his Son into the world to
condemn the world, but that the
Commentary
 V.13 talks of a Christian
logic. “The one who goes up
to heaven is the one who
comes down from heaven.”
 This is the Son of Man.
 V.14 interprets the lifting up
(going up) of the Son of
Man as the lifting up of the
serpent in the desert by
Moses.
 Jesus’ lifting up at Mt.
Calvary brings salvation to
those who believe (not just
those who see).

Parallelism of the bronze serpent
and Christ on the cross
 13 Jesus said to Nicodemus, “No
one has gone up to heaven except
the one who has come down from
heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And
just as Moses lifted up the serpent
in the desert, so must the Son of
Man be lifted up, 15 so that
everyone who believes in him may
have eternal life."
 16 For God so loved the world that
he gave his only Son, so that
everyone who believes in him
might not perish but might have
eternal life. 17 For God did not
send his Son into the world to
condemn the world, but that the
 V.16 adds meaning to the
crucifixion of Jesus.
 His crucifixion is God’s love for
the world.
 V.16 also invites people to
believe in crucified Jesus, to
have eternal life.
 V.17 states God’s purpose in
sending his Son, (to die): to
save the world, through his Son.

Reflections on the gospel reading
 The cross is a Christian paradox (victory over defeat) par
excellence.
 The cross is where contradictions converge.
 While it is a symbol of utter humiliation (going down), it is
also a symbol of lifting up (exaltation).
 Both movements are salvific.
 Both movements reveal God’s love.
 Take note, Christians, if you are not willing “to die on the
cross,” you will never become a leader.
 Those who “reject defeat” to preserve their “honor” or to
make their “importance” felt cannot identify themselves
with the crucified Christ.
 They are utter failure. They should not lead the church or
have influence on it.

Tying the 3 readings
 The first reading talks about the fiery serpents
and the lifting of the bronze serpent on a pole.
 The second reading talks about the death of
Jesus on a cross and God exalting him.
 The gospel reading talks about the Son of Man
being lifted up, like the serpent in the desert.
We should focus our sharing and homilies on the triumph of the cross.

How to develop your homily / sharing
 We who are headstrong always want to
win.
 We never accept defeat, even if in fact
we are already defeated.
 We do not accept death, even if it is
already near.
 The cross of Christ reminds us that we
Christians must reject this mentality.

 The second reading teaches us that
there is no other way to attain victory
than the defeat of our capricious selves
and bloated egos.
 We Christians must not see defeat as a
big setback in our apostolate.
 Rather, our defeat is already our
advancement towards eternal life.

 The gospel reading presents the salvific
value of the cross.
 It is through the wooden cross that Christ
has gained salvation for us.
 It is through it that we attain salvation
from Christ.
 Faith is necessary to see the wisdom of
the cross.

 The first reading may be interpreted as
foreshadowing the efficacity of the crucifixion
of Christ, as he is lifted up on the cross.
 The bronze serpent which is lifted up by Moses
on a pole brings salvation to those who are
bitten by the snakes.
 God’s forgiveness is felt through the cross.

 All Christians must be taught about the
meaning of the cross in their lives.
 In fact, we are identified by other great
religions by the symbol of the cross.
 It should not be treated as a decoration
only.
 It should remind us of our long journey
towards life eternal.

 The eucharist is the preview of the crucifixion
of Christ.
 The eucharist is the giving of Christ’s total self
to all of us who believe in him.
 The crucifixion of Christ deepens the meaning
of the institution of the eucharist.
 The eucharist challenges us to embrace the
paschal mystery.

Our Context
 Broken cross (hippie)
 Cross as decorations
 Executioners
 Desire of winning a
senseless war
 National pride
 Fighting spirit
 Different kinds of
crosses
 Theology of the
cross
 Theology of suffering
 Theology of struggle.
 Soteriology.

24th Feast of the Triumph of the Cross

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24th Feast of the Triumph of the Cross