“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake
and that of the Gospel will save it.
It's often said, "You should be careful what you ask for because you might get it. Some of the saints, presumably in the blush of first fervor, asked God for suffering. They ardently wanted to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. The hagiographers assure us, they got what they wanted.
In our own decadent times most of us are willing to let the misery come when it gets here. There's really no hurry. We also pray for the willingness to take up whatever cross the Lord sends us.
The story is told of the itinerant tinkers who gathered at the crossroads hostelry for news and gossip. Each of them grumbled about the heavy burden of his tools and cutlery. But when someone shouted fire each grabbed his own bag and ran for the door. We prefer our own crosses to those of others.
The trick is to find the blessing in my cross. It's there; it may take a long time to find it. Perhaps that journey begins with a simple word of thanks. "I don't know why I have to endure this, and if I had my druthers "I druther not"; but, Lord, let me carry this cross with your own gracious spirit."
Sometimes a cross introduces us to others who share similar burdens. You might suffer a disease you've never heard of, but no sooner is it diagnosed than you meet people who suffer the same condition. Diabetes, COPD, congesive heart failure, alcoholism, Crohns Disease: each has its community of sufferers who bear one another's burdens.
Our crosses introduce us to goodhearted souls who have embraced the life of Christ, including some who have never been inside a church, synagogue or mosque. They choose not to be overwhelmed by hardship. Like G.K. Chesterton's angels, they take themselves and their challenges lightly.
Crosses deflate the egos that want recognition, honor and privilege. They isolate us from the company we prefer and surround us with people like ourselves. We meet people who accept us readily because the cross has given us a home and made us family.
Crosses open our eyes to the beauty that aesthetes cannot imagine. We see them in the light of Christ and thank him for the privilege of walking with him.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.