Thursday after Ash Wednesday

Gospel – Luke 9:22-25

Bearing Crosses!

The Corner

 

Recently my sister Mary came for an extended visit.  2 Weeks!  Wow! I can’t remember the last time we were able to spend 2 weeks together, probably not since high school.  The days were filled with memories, laughter, quiet reflection, some tears and a bit of touristy adventures.

At one point, we were all making dinner together – cube steaks, veggies and mashed potatoes.  My responsibility was the mashed potatoes.  And I screwed up!  I started plating the mash before everything else was ready.  And I got yelled at!  Don’t do that yet; they’ll get cold!  So as ‘punishment’, I heard THOSE words – go stand/sit in the corner and think about what you did!  Boy, talk about old memories!!  That was my ‘cross’ for the day!

 We all have our crosses to bear!  Some are health-related; some deal with family relationships or job issues!  We all carry several crosses or burdens daily.  Many of them we never asked for; honestly, many of them we complain about on a daily basis.  Some days our crosses are heavier than others.  Some days we stumble from their weight and feel like giving up.  And some days we feel like we are carrying multiple crosses.  Some days they make us angry, resentful, confused and exhausted. Some days we get impatient or resigned!  And some days, we just throw our hands up in the air and give up!  Enough!  It’s too much!  When will it end?

What Jesus is reminding us in today’s Gospel is that, if we want to follow Him, if we want to be His disciple, we must take up the cross!  We must CHOOSE to take up the cross daily!  We must be willing to accept the burden as we journey toward eternal life.  Will that be easy?  Of course not!  We will trip and fall some days!  We will sometimes feel overwhelmed by the weight!  We will sometimes feel like giving up.  But remember that on the way to Golgotha, even Jesus was not alone.  Simon of Cyrene helped to carry His cross.

And so too we need to remember that we are not alone.  Jesus is there to help us and encourage us.  So over the course of these next six weeks or so, let us take the time to make a deliberate choice.  Take up the cross!  Accept the burden!  Pray for strength and courage when we fall!  And remember!  Remember all those days in the past when we lost hope!  And yet here we are!  Still standing, still believing!  So remember that Jesus is there to help us back on our feet and to walk beside us always, each and every day!