Holy Cross Day
Collect of the Day
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ was lifted high upon the Cross that he might draw the whole world to himself: Mercifully grant that we, who glory in the mystery of our redemption, may have grace to take up our cross and follow him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Isaiah 45:21-25
21 Declare and present your case;
let them take counsel together!
Who told this long ago?
Who declared it of old?
Was it not I, the LORD?
And there is no other god besides me,
a righteous God and a Savior;
there is none besides me.
22 “Turn to me and be saved,
all the ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other.
23 By myself I have sworn;
from my mouth has gone out in righteousness
a word that shall not return:
‘To me every knee shall bow,
every tongue shall swear allegiance.’
24 “Only in the LORD, it shall be said of me,
are righteousness and strength;
to him shall come and be ashamed
all who were incensed against him.
25 In the LORD all the offspring of Israel
shall be justified and shall glory.”
Psalm 98
1 O sing unto the LORD a new song,*
for he has done marvelous things.
2 With his own right hand and with his holy arm,*
he has won for himself the victory.
3 The LORD declared his salvation;*
his righteousness has he openly shown in the sight of the nations.
4 He has remembered his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel,*
and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God.
5 Show yourselves joyful in the LORD, all you lands;*
sing, rejoice, and give thanks.
6 Praise the LORD with the harp;*
sing with the harp a psalm of thanksgiving.
7 With trumpets also and horns,*
O show yourselves joyful before the LORD, the King.
8 Let the sea make a noise, and all that is in it,*
the round world, and those who dwell therein.
9 Let the rivers clap their hands, and let the hills be joyful together before the LORD,*
for he has come to judge the earth.
10 With righteousness shall he judge the world,*
and the peoples with equity.
Philippians 2:5-11
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 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.
John 12:31-36a
31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. 34 So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”
When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them.