The awareness of the power of the Cross in one's life was in Christianity from the very beginning. In Philippians 2, Paul quotes the liturgical hymn of the early Church where Jesus walks the talk. He took up the cross. That is He emptied Himself (kenosis) through the Incarnation, the humiliation of the Cross, and the exaltation - "God raised him high" (Ph. 2:9) - which led to all creation worshipping Him and to the final confession of Jesus Christ as Lord.

Jesus' obedient self-abasement goes down to the point of the death of a slave on the cross. This deepest humility earns Him the highest glory of the divine name and authority. At the Resurrection Christ is exalted as Lord, even in His human nature, by the whole universe. The confession of 'Jesus Christ is Lord' reflects the glory of the Father in whom the work of Christian salvation originates.

This is being 'lifted-up' in John's Gospel, an act reminiscent of Moses' lifting up the bronze serpent in the desert to heal his people of the serpents' bites. So also this lifting up of the Son was to heal and save the world from bites of ungodliness and pride.

This is the Triumph of the Cross we celebrate today, a triumph not possible without Christ's purposeful renunciation of His divine nature to take on the lowliness of the human condition for our salvation.