We live in a world where all the bells and whistles are tempting and where all those who care about us understandably want us to be happy. As Christians we are called to live a standard of love that is apart from the ways of the world and instead calls for us to be self giving. This self-giving way often seems contrary to the best our friends and family want for us. It is hard to reconcile that to truly love and find joy we must embrace the self-giving cross.
Often those who love us want us to run from the cross. They become a Peter to us. They don’t realize that to run from the cross is to run away from Jesus, who is God, and God is love.
We must remember that running from the cross does us no good. Jesus‘s purpose was found in the sacrifice, the cross He bore. The same holds true for the sacrifices we choose to bear and the many crosses that may come our way as a result. We call Jesus’s sacrifice His passion because His love was so great, He was willing to die for us. We should strive to carry our crosses with love just as Jesus did. Peter wanted Jesus to run from the cross, but Jesus affirmed us that nobody took His life. He freely gave it out of love for us. In spite of that and in spite of the fact that Jesus told Peter he was acting like Satan in wanting to rid Jesus of His cross, in the garden it was Peter who drew his sword in order to prevent Jesus from being crucified. On the other hand, Simon helped Jesus carry the cross and that is what we should do for God and others. There is a big difference between the bond of love that can be forged by helping someone with their cross versus encouraging them to run away from it.
We must except that we are all at different places. When someone has an opportunity to make a sacrifice, we should never tell them to bear what we could bear. We must encourage them to carry what they can lovingly carry. We are never more truly the prayer as when we are carrying a self-giving cross. It is a prayer that should be offered in love, not in anger, bitterness or grumbling. One may only be able to carry a small amount or they may be able to carry more than what we could. The important thing is to encourage them to do what they can do with love and then offer to help in whatever way you can. One sacrifice can lead to many unknown crosses down the road so it is vital to take on what we initially can with love.
While all of this may be difficult on our own, it can be easier when we take a pause to remember that it is not we who live, but Christ who lives in us. We can’t do it, but when we recall that we are vessels that Jesus can live through, we can invite Him to take the reins. This reminder can help us when we are carrying our cross, helping to carry the cross of another or in prayer at the foot of someone’s cross. It is this reminder along with the realization that self-giving is an opportunity to grow in love, to bond to Jesus and to bond with our neighbor that the cross can become lighter and a source of love that can be a powerful prayer. The world’s standard is to grow in love through the bells and whistles and to save ourselves by running from the cross. This relief offers no growth in love and no growth in deep joy. The standard of a Christian is to embrace whatever position we may find ourselves to be in with the cross and embrace it for the good of others, the glory of God and the increase of love within us. It is there that we will find not only great love, but great joy.
Prayerfully reflect on:
The bolder areas above.
“Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” (MATT 16:23)
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “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 will find it.” (MATT 16:24-25)
“Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Manchus. Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into his scabbard. Shall I not drink the cup that the Father gave me?” (John 18:10)
“They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.” (Mark 15:21)
“Yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me.” (Gal 2:20)