September feasts show us the power of the Cross and the faith of Our Lady

This month of September always signals an ending and a beginning to our lives. By that, I mean summer officially ends and autumn officially begins, at least according to the calendar. By the time September arrives, our schools have been in session for about two weeks, our parish schedules have changed to more regular meetings and classes for various groups, and all of our lives have become more ordered and a bit more routine.
 
None of this is bad of course; these things simply mark our days and weeks for us and give us a sense of order. However, with all of this happening somewhat effortlessly and automatically, have we allowed the same to happen to our faith lives? Has our practice of the faith become more automatic and less intentional? Do we think it is enough to just be at Mass on Sunday or a holy day instead of participating fully at Mass? Do we go through the “motions” of our daily prayers instead of actively praying and asking the Lord for His graces?
 
To avoid this pitfall, the Church celebrates in the middle of the month of September two beautiful feasts which stand as reminders to us all of the necessity of being intentionally alert and vigilant about our faith and how we live it.
 
September 14 is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, and September 15 is the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. While neither is a holy day of obligation, the Church encourages us to come to Mass on both days to deepen our faith in and understanding of the power of the Cross of Jesus and how, as Catholics, we live in the shadow of His Cross every day of our lives.
 
As it was for the Apostles Peter, James and John, so it is for us. The Transfiguration of Jesus (August 6) has prepared us for the brutality of the Cross which Jesus transformed from an instrument of death to the “tree of Life” and the sign of our identity as Catholics. When we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows immediately following the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Church asks us to join our own sufferings and sorrows to the Cross as Our Blessed Lady did and allow the Lord Jesus to take them and transform them into opportunities of grace for ourselves and for those with whom we live, work and pray. We should look to the example of Our Blessed Mother who was unwavering in her faith and hope in the will of God even when it involved extreme sorrow.
 
So, the month of September is anything but routine for us. Let us faithfully celebrate these two feasts and deepen our faith and hope in the power of the Cross and strengthen our resolve to follow Jesus as His Mother did.