Our Daly Cross

A day into Lent and Jesus reminds us that "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." (Lk 9: 23-24). Some of these crosses are heavier than others; some insert themselves unexpectedly, as in a sudden death of a loved one because of a heart attack or automobile accident, or a diagnosis of cancer at a routine check up.  Others, we can choose to impose upon ourselves, as in giving up something we like to eat, drink or do for the six weeks of Lent.  Those of us with heavier crosses might consider offering up the extra weight for someone we know who is even worse off than we.  In all instances, however, we need to remember that our cross will not bear fruit unless it is connected with the cross of Jesus.  We unite our suffering our efforts, with the cross of Jesus.  This is what sanctifies them, makes them holy, and effective instruments in achieving the deeper relationship with Jesus we seek during Lent:  His cross becomes our cross and like Simon of Cyrene, we bear it together.
Bro. Rene