Vladimíra Polišenská
On September 14, we celebrate the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. On this day, the Discalced Carmelites renew their religious vows. The text that follows was written for this occasion by St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. It is worth pausing over it not only as a text discussing the cross as a sign of salvation and hope. The circumstances of its origin are also significant. Teresa Benedicta, born Edith Stein, was of Jewish descent and converted to Christianity in adulthood. In 1933, when she could no longer work in academia as a woman of Jewish descent, she entered the convent of the Discalced Carmelites in Cologne. She remained here until she was forced to flee to the monastery in the Dutch town of Echt in late 1938 due to Nazi persecution.
St. Edith Stein followed with great empathy the painful trial of her people. This likely, along with the teachings of St. John of the Cross, inspired her to deep contemplation of Christ's suffering and the cross. To this day, it is possible to view a painting of the crucified Christ in the Dutch convent, before which she reportedly often lingered in prayer. On September 1, 1939, the Second World War broke out. Two weeks later, Sister Teresa Benedicta was preparing a spiritual word for her community sisters for the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross; she was fully aware of the significance of renewing religious vows and the consequences that complete and unconditional acceptance of Christ's cross could bring. On August 2, 1942, when members of the Gestapo came to arrest her and her sister Rosa and send them to the Westerbork transit camp and subsequently to Auschwitz, she was inwardly prepared to step onto her own way of the cross.
Even though, as laypeople, we do not make any religious vows, we can still remember the words of St. Edith Stein, for example, when we renew our baptismal vow. We can contemplate the significance of the cross and its place in our own lives, and how we respond to the questioning gaze of the Crucified, at any time. Perhaps precisely on the occasion of the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
Ave Crux, Spes unica!
September 14, 1939
“Hail, holy cross, our only hope!”
These words the Church places in our mouths at a time when we contemplate the bitter suffering of our Lord, Jesus Christ.1 Now, as the liturgical year draws to a close, the cross is raised before us, so that we may again turn our gaze to it until the day when, with the new Easter Alleluia, we are given a moment to forget about the earth and rejoice in the Lamb's wedding.
Our holy Order calls us to begin the season of Lent with the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross,2 and brings us to the foot of the Cross for the renewal of our sacred vows. The crucified Christ looks at us and asks whether we still wish to keep what we promised him in a moment of grace. Today, more than ever, the cross has become a sign of resistance. Supporters of the Antichrist blaspheme and insult the cross and try with all their might to tear it from the hearts of Christians. And often, they succeed even with us, who once promised to follow Christ and took up his cross. Therefore, today the Redeemer examines us and turns to each of us with the question: Do you want to remain faithful to the Crucified? Think carefully!
The world is in flames, the battle between Christ and the Antichrist has openly broken out. Therefore, if you decide for Christ, it may cost you your life. Consider carefully what you have promised. To pronounce and renew vows is a terribly serious matter.
The Savior hangs before you on the cross because he became obedient to death on the cross.3 He came to fulfill the will of the Father, not his own.4 The Redeemer hangs naked and stripped on the cross because he chose poverty. The Redeemer stands before you with a pierced heart. He shed the blood of his Heart to gain yours. If you wish to follow him in the way of purity, let the Crucified Christ be the sole object of your desire, your wishes, and your thoughts. Are you frightened by the enormity of what the sacred vows demand of you? You need not fear anything. What you have promised exceeds your human strength. However, it does not exceed the strength of the Almighty, which will become yours when you entrust yourself to him with confidence, when he accepts your promise of fidelity. He did so on the day of your profession and wishes to do so today as well. The very loving heart of your Redeemer invites you to follow him. The arms of the Crucified are open, ready to embrace you to his heart. He asks for your life to give you his own. Ave Crux, Spes unica!
The world is in flames. The fire may also engulf our house. Above all the flames, however, the Cross is raised. They cannot engulf it because it is the way from earth to heaven. Those who embrace it with faith, love, and hope will be carried into the bosom of the Trinity.
The world is in flames. Do you wish to extinguish them? Look to the Crucified! From his pierced Heart flows the blood of the Redeemer. It extinguishes the flames of hell. Free your heart by faithfully fulfilling your promises, then the flow of divine love will flood your heart so that it begins to overflow and will bear fruit to the ends of the earth. Do you hear the lament of the wounded on the battlefields of East and West? Do you hear the anguished cries of the dying? Are you moved by the tears of widows and orphaned children? Look to the Crucified. You are united with him. His merciful love will carry you anywhere; in the power of the cross, you can be present on all war fronts, in all places of pain. The love of the divine Heart sprinkles all with his precious blood, which calms, brings salvation, and redemption.
The eyes of the Crucified watch you closely and question you. Do you wish to reaffirm your bond with the Crucified with all seriousness? What will you answer him? “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”5 Ave Crux, Spes unica!
(I ask the most demanding readers for forgiveness for not providing the text of Edith Stein in its entirety, but in a shortened form, and that as an Italianist, I am translating from this language – from the Italian translation published in the anthology Edith Stein: Nel Castello dell’Anima, pagine spirituali; translated by Cristiana Dobner; Edizioni OCD, Rome 2004. The original German text can be found in the collected works of Edith Stein: in their older edition: ESW XI (Freiburg/Basel – Vienna 1987), pp. 124-126, in their new edition: ESGA 20 (Freiburg/Basel – Vienna 2007), pp. 118-122.)
