The Exaltation of the Cross

Reading 1 (Num 21,4b-9)

And the people began to tire of their journey and hardships. And speaking against God and Moses, they said: “Why did you lead us away from Egypt, so as to die in the wilderness? Bread is lacking; there are no waters. Our soul is now nauseous over this very light food.” For this reason, the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, which wounded or killed many of them. And so they went to Moses, and they said: “We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray, so that he may take away these serpents from us.” And Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to him: “Make a bronze serpent, and place it as a sign. Whoever, having been struck, gazes upon it, shall live.” Therefore, Moses made a bronze serpent, and he placed it as a sign. When those who had been struck gazed upon it, they were healed.

Responsorial Psalm (Ps 78)

The understanding of Asaph. O my people, attend to my law. Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in parables. I will speak about concepts that are from the beginning.

When he slew them, then they sought him. And they returned, and they drew near to him in the early morning. And they were mindful that God is their helper and that the Most High God is their redeemer.

And they chose him with their mouth, and then they lied to him with their tongue. For their heart was not upright with him, nor have they been living faithfully in his covenant.

Yet he is merciful, and he will pardon their sins. And he will not destroy them. And he has abundantly turned aside his own wrath. And he did not enflame his wrath entirely.

Reading 2 (Phil 2,6-11)

Who, though he was in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be seized. Instead, he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and accepting the state of a man. He humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, even the death of the Cross. Because of this, God has also exalted him and has given him a name which is above every name, so that, at the name of Jesus, every knee would bend, of those in heaven, of those on earth, and of those in hell, and so that every tongue would confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.

Gospel (John 3,13-17)

And no one has ascended to heaven, except the one who descended from heaven: the Son of man who is in heaven. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so also must the Son of man be lifted up, so that whoever believes in him may not perish, but may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that all who believe in him may not perish, but may have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world, in order to judge the world, but in order that the world may be saved through him.