Cross Bearers

This Lent I was presented with a challenge by my spiritual director. That challenge was to pray the Stations of the Cross, but instead of just rattling through them like we do with so many other rote prayers, he challenged me to take one Station a day and reflect on it, put myself in the story, and see how each station applies to my life. Today I reflected on the Second Station, "Jesus carries his Cross."

Look at Jesus. Look at his response to the sentence given him. He was sentenced to death. He was going to be nailed to a cross, hung and left to die. He was also forced to carry his own cross. He was forced to carry that thing which would lead him to his own death. Did he fight this conviction, this death sentence? No. Did he say that it wasn't fair that he was being sentenced to death? No. Did he whine and complain about having to carry his own cross? Again, no. He understood. He understood that with life comes pain; that with life comes suffering. He understood the fruits that would come from his suffering. He understood that he needed to die in order to bring new life.

How often do I look at my own life and complain about my own suffering? How often do I whine about the crosses I have to bear? Oftentimes, I can't see beyond the pain and suffering I endure. If I had the foresight that Christ had when he bore his own cross, maybe then I, too, would bear it willingly. If I can only realize that my pain and my suffering will also bring new life. It will bring new life to me. It will bring new life to others.

We all have pain and suffering in our lives. We all bear crosses. If you think you don't, then you are lying to yourself. We need to bear our crosses like Christ--willingly. If we do so, then we will bring more love into this world, as Christ did.

Maybe this is not some new, groundbreaking insight for you. It isn't for me. I've thought this and tried to live it many times in my life. I just sometimes need to be reminded that being a cross bearer is a part of life and that I should accept it willingly.