Take Up Your Cross

 

Luke 9: 22-25

Deny Self

²² And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

²³ Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. ²⁴ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. ²⁵ What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?

As we enter this first full day of Lent, may remember that it's not picnic time. The cross faced Jesus and it faces us as well.  We cannot "make a good Lent" without it. Let us then seek strength to carry it by our extra time in prayer and reflection, our big or little self-denials and our giving of alms to the needy. Let us be partners with Jesus, and take up our cross alongside him, willingly and quietly, without fanfare or seeking to draw attention to ourselves. Let us focus on him, not me.

Bro Rene

Jesus, my Lord, all too often we define ourselves by what we have or what we do, instead of who we are. All I will have left is me – and you. Oh Jesus, I wish I valued you as much as I value other things or people in my life. During these 40 days let your words change me: "What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves?"

 Rev. Herbert Yost, C.S.C.