“The cross is something wonderfully great and honorable. It is great because through the cross the many noble acts of Christ found heir consummation — very many indeed, for both his miracles and his sufferings were fully rewarded with victory. The cross is honorable because it is both the sign of God’s suffering and the trophy of his victory. it stands for his suffering because on it he freely suffered unto death. But it is also his trophy because it was the means by which the devil was wounded and death conquered; the barred gates of hell were smashed, and the cross became the one common salvation of the whole world.” 

— From a discourse by St. Andrew of Crete, bishop, in today’s Office of Readings.