We are gathered today to celebrate the Festival of the Cross, which commemorates the discover of the “true” Cross of Christ. This occurred in the year 326 A.D by Queen Helena, the mother of Roman Emperor Constantine, during her pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The celebration is conducted via procession and exaltation of the Cross to the four corners of the earth in the Malankara Orthodox Church. Most Orthodox believers typically think of Holy Friday as the day that the Cross is glorified. In fact, Holy Friday is focused on the Passion of Christ, that is, Christ’s agony and suffering. That said, the Feast of the Cross is the actual day that the Orthodox Church celebrates the Cross as an instrument of salvation.

“Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) These are the words of Christ as He hung on the Cross beaten and mangled, staring at His accusers and those that crucified Him. How can a man utter such words after what He had gone through? The question provides the answer! That is, a mere man cannot utter such words. He must be God!

We hear the word “prayer” almost on weekly bases, in church, fellowship or in conversations with our friends. But what is prayer? The Greek word for prayer is proseuche, meaning a “desire to have intimate contact with someone.” Therefore, prayer is indeed our desire to have intimacy with God. To have intimacy with God requires us to enter into His presence” That is in fact what prayer is—entering into the “presence of God.” Here we must specify that many religions pray, or rather, seek intimacy with God, but only a Christian, who comes in the name of Christ Jesus, can enter into the presence of God. (John 14:6) Access to the presence of God is only through Jesus Christ.

In the book of Genesis, in both Chapter 1 and 2, God creates the heaven and the earth and all therein. From there, he created male and female in His own image. (verse 27) God also setup a suitable habitat for Adam and Eve—the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 2:8)