The honourable and life-giving cross

The Scripture Readings for
August 1, 2011

Today's commemorated feasts and saints

Procession of the Honorable Wood of the Lifegiving Cross of the Lord (First of the three "Feasts of the Savior" in August). Holy Seven Maccabean Martyrs: Abimus, Antoninus, Gurias, Eleazar, Eusabonus, Alimus, and Marcellus, their mother Solomonia, and their teacher, Eleazar (166 B.C.). The Holy Martyrs of Perge in Pamphylia: Leontius, Attius, Alexander, Cindeus, Minsitheus (Mnesitheus), Cyriacus, Mineon (Menæus), Catanus, and Eucleus (3rd c.).

1 Corinthians 1:18-24 (Epistle, Cross)



18
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.


19
For it is written:


20
Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?


21
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.


22
For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;


23
but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,


24
but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

From the OCA website.

For the world, the cross is a symbol of a dishonourable and shameful death.

Christians invert this, by speaking of the cross as "honourable" and "life-giving".