acknowledge our sins and so prepare ourselves to celebrate this sacred myster in reading from the book of numbers with their patients more now by the czerny the people complained against god and moses why have you brought us up from egypt to die in this desert where there is no food or water we are disgusted with this wretched food and punishment the lord sent among the people saraf serpents with which bit the people so that many of them died then the people came to moses and sat we have sinned in complaining against the lord and you pray the lord to take the serpents from us so moses prayed for the people and the lord said and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze bent he lived the word of the lord thanks  do not forget the works of the lord do not forget the works of good lord hearken my people to my teaching incline your ears to the words of my mouth i will open my mouth and a parable i will team do not forget the works of the lord but they flattered him with them out and lied to him with their tongues though their hearts or not steadfast toward him nor were they faithful to his roused to not forget the works of the board a reading from the letter of saint paul to the philippians by this and sister was christ jesus though he was in the form of god did not regard equality was god's something to be grasped rather he emptied himself taking the form of a slave coming in human like ness and found him in an appearance he humbled himself becoming obedient to death even death on a cross because of this god greatly exalted him and be stowed on him the name that is above every the father the word of the lord thank the lord be with you reading from the holy gospel according to john no one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven the son of man and just as moses lifted up the serpent in the desert so must the senate man be lifted up so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life for god so loved the world that he gave his only son so that everyone who believed in him might not perish but might have eternal life for god did not send his son into the world to condemn the world but that the world might be see through him and the gospel of the lord is certainly easy to understand how important the cross is for ourselves every church that we enter has a cross in it most churches have crosses outside also was very positive at all it was the mode that the roman empire used to execute prisoners execute people of low status that deserved or it according to the of their law deserved the death penalty so when jesus was crucified on the cross it was not something that was in any way beautiful it was very sad it was very difficult for the people who watched it all happen to to watch it happen is very difficult for them but for us two thousand years later the cross is a is a huge symbol of our  faith it's something that we point to and we're very proud of where on our guard next very often we where investments where we celebrate mass we have in our homes it's something that is tremendously positive symbol for those who are believers and because of that the church every year has this feast day that we celebrate today the excell patience of the holy cross and the reason for for generations from that point on till now and forever what jesus did on the cross and giving his life for the sins of the world is what the church says this is why we are celebrating our faith because jesus died for us and gave us the key to enter the kingdom of heaven it's something that we cannot people who've gotten is it something that we can never  of what it stands for it's it's a tragedy in many ways the cross has become a fashion symbol in some in some circles but we who are believers have to understand that that's the wrong use the cross the cross is to remind us of what christ did for us to remind us of the sacrificial offering that jesus did for all humanity when he put his arms out and he and he died on the cross us celebrate the cross as a remembrance of god's love for us and as a reminder for us always to preserve the dignity of the cross never lead our ourselves be taken down the path of those who will make the cross not what it is what it should be but what they want it to be the cross is the sign of god's love for us and the to the testimony of jesus dolan god bless them and guide them we pray to the word the lord here up for ourselves that we do everything we can to bring happiness and holding this to our family as we pray to the board over here our plan for those who work for the defense of human life those who work for peace is for justice that god made less their labors we pray to the board here plans for american military personnel throughout the world especially in afghanistan we prayed for the board or out for those who has been abused sexually or harris especially by members of our church that god may bring them healing and full justice we pray to the lord in the silence of our own hearts that each of us add our own particular inten or through your goodness we have presented this the bread that you have given us to the earth in the work of human hands will become for us the bread of life which on the altar of the cross can still be offensive the whole world cleanse us we pray of all our sins through christ the lord be with you and with you lift up your part salvation of the human race on the wood of the cross so that where a rose life might begin spring forth and the evil one conquered on a tree might likewise on a tree be conquered through voices we pray join the tears in humble praise as we acclaim which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sin just do this in memory of me