Our Crosses: They Change the World

We adore you O Christ and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.  These are the words we pray when we do the Stations of the Cross.  They are simple, yet profound.  Simple in that they can be easily remembered, profound because we are calling an object used for execution – for death, holy.

In our lives we undergo many sufferings.  I do not say this to make life sound gloomy or unhappy.  It is a truth and sufferings come from many places, some suffering comes simply because of our humanity, our own weakness both in the spiritual life and even the physical.  Some sufferings we receive come from others in and how they have treated us.  Dare I say some sufferings even come from God, not because God is evil or that He enjoys suffering, but He allows it for some greater good, which is sometimes understood immediately and at other times understood much later.

No matter what we suffer they are our crosses.  They are not to be shunned, but picked up in dignity and strength.  Crosses may be heavy burdens sometimes and we feel like we can’t take one more step and yet, somehow, someway, we do take one more step and another and another.  That is God’s grace and love which is so deep within us, even though at times not recognized that helps us to move forward.

Think of our Savior, He too found it excruciating to take that next step forward; His cross was unbelievably heavy, for He was carrying the whole world on His shoulders.  What gave Him strength to go forward; it was love, His love for us.

It is always just a simple thing to say, “pick up your cross and follow me,” often times relegated to simple piety, but to actually carry the thing is never easy, but profound beyond measure, because when I do carry it, love is poured out in eternity, changing all of those around us and even ourselves.  We run from suffering and that’s good, only a madman would run towards it, even Jesus looked to avoid it, but in the end we accept the cross because we realize that through acts of love, we too like Jesus, will change the world.  Amen!

FJ