My homily for the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross:

“The Triumph of the Cross: Hope in the Darkness”

Mass school shootings, the brutal murder of a woman on a train, and the assassination of a young man speaking on a college campus leave us shaken—helpless, hopeless, and overwhelmed by the darkness of our times. Yet what we feel is not so different from what the disciples of Christ experienced on Calvary.

On the day of the crucifixion, the disciples thought everything had ended. Our Lord’s enemies believed they had silenced Him forever. The devil rejoiced, imagining he had won, and that the world was now lost in despair. Even the disciples doubted everything they had learned.

But what looked like the ultimate defeat was about to become the greatest victory.

The Church teaches us today that the cross speaks the opposite message:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness. I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.” (2 Cor 12:9)

The crucifixion was not the end but the beginning. The very moment of apparent defeat was Christ’s triumph. The cross is paradox and mystery—it is, at the same time, shame and glory, death and life, defeat and victory. Above all, it is our greatest sign of hope.

When all seems lost—when culture is collapsing, violence and hatred are multiplying, and evil appears to be rising—this is precisely when we must look to the cross.
Christ is victorious.
The cross reminds us that darkness cannot overcome the Light.

This feast was once celebrated on May 3 as the Finding of the Holy Cross. It was later moved to its current date for a reason: at the beginning of autumn, as the days grow shorter and the nights grow darker, the Church “raises high the cross.” It is a sign planted firmly against the growing shadows of the season and of the age.

The Church lifts high the sign of the Son of Man—the same sign that will appear at His second coming, as we await Him in hope during the harvest time of history.

The cross is our unfailing sign of hope.

Do not let heart or mind be overcome by sadness or despair.
Hold fast to the cry of the Church:

“Christus vincit! Christus regnat! Christus imperat!”
Christ conquers! Christ reigns! Christ commands!

Even as we are surrounded by evil, we must bear witness to the victory of Christ. As Venerable Fulton Sheen reminded us:

“Evil may have its hour, but God will have His day.”

On this feast, we proclaim with confidence: the Cross is not defeat—it is triumph.

Fr. Jay A. Finelli
Feast of The Triumph of the Cross
14 September 2025