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Gospel of Luke 9:22-25“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?”
The Gospel readings in the Liturgy remind us over and over again to take up our cross and follow Jesus. Easier said than done! Our "crosses" are very heavy. They give us headaches and backaches; splinters and cuts; bumps and bruises. We simply get tired of carrying around so much burden. If it wasn't for the Lenten Season, I think most of us rather burn our crosses and possibly even run away from Jesus like cowardly lions! We think Christ's mighty crosswalk isn't so safe. I mean, there's the chance of a car running over us because the weight of our wood beams slow us down. We walk at a snail's pace rather than at a roadrunner's prance with all of that extra weight on our backs.
Personally, I felt a huge weight lifted from my shoulders after I received my ashes on Dirty Forehead Wednesday. My cross is still there, but it feels lighter. It's as if I played a bowling game with Jesus himself! The first bowling ball weighed a ton and was difficult to roll without pulling a muscle. I could barely strike down even one pin. As the rounds continued, my bowling ball size changed into a lighter weight! I was able to finally make a strike! All those pins of habitual sin went down on impact! God allowed me to win the bowling game by forgiving my sins. The only request he asks of me is to bear my cross with humility. Don't carry my burdens alone but rely on God to get me through the tough times!
One of the intercessions in today's Divine Office Morning prayer resonated with me in a very deep way. Not very often do intercessions do this. The key words are "sacrament of salvation."
Teach us to enter more deeply into the mystery of the Church, that it may be more effective for ourselves and for the world as the sacrament of salvation.
I ponder the questions: By taking up my cross and following Jesus with humility and courage, am I participating in the sacrament of salvation? Am I showing to others that I truly believe in God and his plan for my life? Can I continue to follow the "mystery" surrounding Catholic theology and teachings without understanding all of the what, whys, and hows? My analytical mind typically wants solid answers to questions. It can sometimes be a challenge for me to accept things that I simply do not understand; however, that's why it's so important that I keep the faith!
As part of my lenten observance, I am reading Fenelon's Classic work "Let Go" (publisher Whitaker). In Letter 2, this wise and inspiring 17th century Archbishop of Cambrai, France wrote:
"A cross which comes from God ought to be welcomed without any concern for self. And when you accept your cross this way, even though it is painful, you will find that you can bear it in peace. But when you receive the cross unwillingly, you will find it to be doubly severe. The resistance within is harder to bear than the cross itself! But if you recognize the hand of God, and make no opposition to His Will, you will have peace in the midst of affliction...."
-J.
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