Matthew 24:1-14
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
“Your cross, O Lord, is the key to paradise and unlocks the gates for us that were closed by Adam’s sin!”
The readings of the Divine Liturgy point us to the end of the world and all the signs of its arrival. The first generation of Christians thought that the ‘Day of the Lord’ was imminent. The reason for their expectation was quite simple, everything that Christ describes in the Gospel was present to that generation; in fact, what Christ described is still taking place. Therefore, ever since the coming of Christ, we have been living in the ‘last days’. We must stand ready, with the door of our heart open for his coming.
After our first parents broke friendship with God and refused submission to his command to not ‘eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil’ history was at a standstill, “we were all born afflicted with a sin which is the death of the soul” (CCC#403). This catastrophic situation that man was in, because of disobedience and pride, had closed the gates of paradise and rendered human life burdensome and painful. Christ came and by his death and resurrection opened the gates of paradise by the wood of his Cross, a symbol of his obedience and humility. The Cross has become not only the key to paradise, but also the key to understanding human life and cosmic history.
The antique key of the old church of St. George in Kormakitis was expertly forged so as to not only open the door of the chapel but also to explain to us our catechism. If you look closely at the key, the metal notch which interacts with the lock has a tiny cross in its center. What a beautiful example of our faith. Only the Cross of Christ can open the gates of paradise, and only the Cross of Christ can open the meaning of human history.
Frequently we lose our keys and look in frustration for them. But the key of the Cross is at the center of the world; it can only be lost by those who have lost the meaning of life. May we lift our eyes to the Cross and find the meaning to our existence and the hope of future glory.
† Selim Sfeir
Maronite Archbishop of Cyprus