The Exaltation of the Cross

Numbers 21:4-9 (JB)

A reading from the book of Numbers

When those that were afflicted looked upon it, they were healed.

On the way through the wilderness the people lost patience. They spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in this wilderness? For there is neither bread nor water here; we are sick of this unsatisfying food.’

At this God sent fiery serpents among the people; their bite brought death to many in Israel. The people came and said to Moses, ‘We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Intercede for us with the Lord to save us from these serpents.’ Moses interceded for the people, and the Lord answered him, ‘Make a fiery serpent and put it on a standard. If anyone is bitten and looks at it, he shall live.’ So Moses fashioned a bronze serpent which he put on a standard, and if anyone was bitten by a serpent, he looked at the bronze serpent and lived.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Numbers 21:4-9 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of Numbers

The Israelites set out by the way to the Red Sea,

to go around the land of Edom;

but they became impatient on the way.

The people spoke against God and against Moses,

“Why have you brought us up out of Egypt

to die in the wilderness?

For there is no food and no water,

and we detest this miserable food.”

Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people,

and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died.

The people came to Moses and said,

“We have sinned by speaking against the Lord

and against you;

pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.”

So Moses prayed for the people.

And the Lord said to Moses,

“Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole;

and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.”

So Moses made a serpent of bronze,

and put it upon a pole;

and whenever a serpent bit someone,

that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 77:1-2, 34-38 (JB)

R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!

Give heed, my people, to my teaching;

turn your ear to the words of my mouth.

I will open my mouth in a parable

and reveal hidden lessons of the past. R.

When he slew them then they would seek him,

return and seek him in earnest.

They would remember that God was their rock,

God the Most High their redeemer. R.

But the words they spoke were mere flattery;

they lied to him with their lips.

For their hearts were not truly with him;

they were not faithful to his covenant. R.

Yet he who is full of compassion

forgave their sin and spared them.

So often he held back his anger

when he might have stirred up his rage. R.

Psalm 78.1-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38 (R.7b) (NRSV)

R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!

Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;

incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

I will open my mouth in a parable;

I will utter dark sayings from of old. R.

When God killed them, the people sought for him;

they repented and sought him earnestly.

They remembered that God was their rock,

the Most High God their redeemer. R.

But they flattered him with their mouths;

they lied to him with their tongues.

Their heart was not steadfast toward him;

they were not true to his covenant. R.

Yet he, being compassionate, forgave their iniquity,

and did not destroy them;

often he restrained his anger,

and did not stir up all his wrath. R.

Philippians 2:6-11 (JB)

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Philippians

He humbled himself, therefore God had exalted him.

The state of Jesus was divine,

yet he did not cling

to his equality with God

but emptied himself

to assume the condition of a slave,

and became as men are;

and being as all men are,

he was humbler yet,

even to accepting death,

death on a cross.

But God raised him high

and gave him the name

which is above all other names

so that all beings

in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld,

should bend the knee at the name of Jesus

and that every tongue should acclaim

Jesus Christ as Lord,

to the glory of the Father.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Philippians 2:6-11 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Philippians

Though Christ Jesus was in the form of God,

he did not regard equality with God

as something to be exploited,

but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave,

being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form,

he humbled himself

and became obedient to the point of death-

even death on a cross.

Therefore God highly exalted him

and gave him the name that is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue should confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Accl (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you,

because by your cross you have redeemed the world.

Alleluia!

John 3:13-17 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John

The Son of Man must be lifted up.

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

‘No one has gone up to heaven

except the one who came down from heaven,

the Son of Man who is in heaven;

and the Son of Man must be lifted up

as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,

so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.

Yes, God loved the world so much

that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost

but may have eternal life.

For God sent his Son into the world

not to condemn the world,

but so that through him the world might be saved.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

John 3:13-17 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to John

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

“No one has ascended into heaven

except the one who descended from heaven,

the Son of Man.

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,

so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

“For God so loved the world

that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him may not perish

but may have eternal life.

“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world

to condemn the world,

but in order that the world might be saved

through him.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.