8/14/24

I’ve had several questions about one of the crosses we use in worship. I can see how, at first glance, you might ask what on earth is going on with it! Contrary to some, that is not Buddha in the middle! 
 
It is actually the Celtic Cross of Muiredach at Monasterboice.  And what is that? 

Up the coast from Dublin, Ireland,  is Drogheda, where you can see the historic ruins of the monastery, Monasterboice. The monastery itself dates to the 5th century and was a center for intellectual learning. Today, it is most famous for its stone Celtic crosses. The crosses are decorated with scenes from the Bible and, like stained glass windows, were used to teach Christ’s teachings to those unable to read. It may also have been a devotional aid, helping the monks or maybe the pilgrims who visited the monastery to reflect and think more deeply about their faith. 

This particular cross dates back to about AD 923 and is called Muiredach’s cross, named for an inscription found on its base:  “A prayer for Muiredach for whom the cross was made.” While our Celtic Cross is only about a foot and a half high, the original stands 18 feet tall! 

The theme for the cross is Christ the King, Lord of the Earth. You’ll notice the ring that joins the vertical bar of the cross. I’ve always called it a “Celtic Cross” but I’ve since learned the ring isn’t just associated with the Celtic people, so the more correct name is “Irish ringed cross” or “high cross.” 

Although the meaning of the carved pictures are not “set in stone,” there is general agreement on what they represent. The original has pictures from the Old Testament on the back (the Eastern side) and the Last Judgment, while ours is blank. On the Western side, the main picture on the circular head is an elaborate crucifixion scene. The scenes on the shaft of the cross are read from the bottom up. They represent (at least people think they represent) Jesus arrested in the garden, Thomas thrusting his hand into Jesus’ side, and Christ seated between Peter and Paul, giving the keys to the Kingdom to Peter and a book to Paul.

At the top of the cross sits a house, or maybe a church, with three figures below it. They are believed to be Jesus at his ascension with the two angels on either side.  

This is all nice and everything, but what does it have to do with us, and why do we have it in our sanctuary? 

For me, the cross is a reminder that ours is an ancient faith. 

So much of popular culture’s treatment of music and art as “disposable” creeps into the church. What is popular and sung in every congregation this week is tossed aside a couple of months later for the next popular Christian hit. 

When Moses stood before the burning bush, God declared that he was “the God of your Fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Even though the burning bush encounter marked the beginning of a new era in Israel’s story, God was still acting within a long tradition.

Even in Acts, after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, Peter and Paul preached the gospel within the context of their long tradition.  

We are heirs of this tradition. Every week we read from both the Old and New Testaments. We sing psalms that date back to King David, if not before. 

Our communion liturgy dates back to at least the year 215, when Hypolytus wrote down communion prayers he had learned as a child.  One of the oldest hymns we sing is “Christ beside Me,” which is a prayer of St. Patrick, who lived  in the 5th century – around the time Monasterboice was established. We sing “Be Thou My Vision,” which is based on an Irish poem dating to just before the Muiredach was carved. 

Ours is an ancient faith. 

And our scriptures, hymns, prayers, artwork are all gifts from previous generations, given to us to aid us as we carry on the work of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ. 

We sometimes quote the scripture, “Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever” . . . let’s not be guilty of forgetting “yesterday”!

Blessings,
Pastor Terry