September 14 | The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Welcome, young history buffs and curious minds, to My Daily Saint, the podcast that digs deep into the incredible lives of the saints, those remarkable people who shaped history and continue to inspire us today. Forget dusty old portraits and boring stories. Today, we are traveling back in time on the ultimate ancient treasure hunt. Imagine the year is around 326 A.D. You are standing in the dusty, sun-baked streets of Jerusalem. Leading this massive expedition isn't some ordinary explorer. It's an empress, Saint Helena, the mother of the mighty Roman Emperor Constantine.

She is the absolute VIP of the Roman Empire, but she hasn't traveled all this way looking for gold, silver, or buried jewels. She is searching for the true cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Empress Helena was on a mission to locate the exact holy places of Christ's life. According to ancient tradition, her team excavated the area and actually discovered three different wooden crosses buried in the ground. But this created a massive problem. How do you know which one belonged to Jesus and which ones belonged to the two thieves crucified next to him?

They needed a sign from God. They brought a sick woman to the site and had her touch the crosses. When she touched the true cross, she was miraculously and instantly healed. That's how Saint Helena knew she had found the exact instrument of our Lord's crucifixion and death.

Because of this mind-blowing discovery, Emperor Constantine ordered a massive, beautiful church to be constructed right on the site of Christ's death and resurrection. It was called the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. In September of 335 AD, this incredible basilica was finally dedicated, and the true cross was lifted up, or exalted, for all the faithful people to see and venerate.

But the story doesn't end there. History is full of drama, and the cross wasn't safe. Fast forward a few hundred years to the 7th century. The Persian Empire invades Jerusalem, and they actually steal the true cross. Imagine the panic. But the Roman Emperor at the time, Heraclius, wasn't going to let that slide. He waged a massive military campaign, defeated the Persians, and gloriously recaptured the city. We covered the true cross around the years 628 or 629 AD. The feast day we celebrate on September 14th also honors this epic rescue mission.

The meaning of this feast is not primarily historical. It is deeply theological. Think about it. The cross was literally an instrument of execution. In the ancient Roman world, it was the ultimate symbol of humiliation and terrible defeat. It was designed to make people look like absolute losers. But Christianity is all about the paradox of victory, the crazy reality that salvation comes through what looks like Total defeat. Through Christ's incredible sacrifice, that terrifying instrument of death became the ultimate sign of victory.

Because of this, the church doesn't just remember the cross, the church exalts it. This feast forces us to look reality right in the face. Christianity does not promise that we will have victory without suffering. That's not the deal. But it does promise something way better, that our suffering, when we unite it to Christ, actually becomes redemptive. It has power. It has a purpose.

Today, I want you to find the cross in your own life. Instead of just complaining about it or letting it defeat you, exalt it. Unite that suffering to Jesus. You can silently pray, Jesus, I offer this tough situation up to you. Use my struggle today to bring goodness to the world, just like you used your cross. By doing that, you turn your own everyday humiliations into a secret, powerful victory. Thank you for joining us on My Daily Saint. We look forward to sharing another incredible story of faith and courage with you tomorrow.