- Fri Feb 20, 2015 1:12 pm
#219107
The Cross - by Clarita Calasanz
It is now the Lenten Season and we have stations of the cross and other devout practices which reminds us of the Passion and Death of Our Lord. This is the story of our salvation and the ongoing love story that God has with all of us. He loved us with an infinite love in spite of who we are and never mind how cold and indifferent we have been towards Him, or how far we have strayed away from Him. He continues to love us anyway.
Lent reminds us of the crosses that each of us has to bear, sickness, broken relationships, financial problems, loss of loved ones, etc. We are naturally afraid of that and it's so much better not to think about it. But we are told to Embrace the Cross and it will be much easier to carry.
The following story is probably fiction but it drives home the point. A certain nobleman has decided on finding the Garden of Eden or the Land of perpetual youth. He was told he had to carry a wooden cross in order to find what he was looking for and he agreed. He thought what a small price it was if he could realize his dream. The cross was given to him and he started on his way. The cross was heavy, so he decided to carry it on his shoulder. After a while, it became intolerable, so he decided to just drag the cross after him as he walked. That worked for a while, but it eventually became unbearable also. At his wits end he decided to lift the cross with his two arms and to hold it close to his body. He was embracing the cross and he discovered it was becoming lighter as he went on his way and he finally reached his destination without any problem.
I have been afraid of the Cross, but I also love the song, "Be not afraid, I go before you always, Come, follow Me". It is one of my favorite songs. It is a very encouraging thought during Lent. Instead of being afraid of the Cross let us Embrace it and rely on what Jesus promised: "I will be with you", and we will be surprised to find how truly easy it is.
__._,_.___
It is now the Lenten Season and we have stations of the cross and other devout practices which reminds us of the Passion and Death of Our Lord. This is the story of our salvation and the ongoing love story that God has with all of us. He loved us with an infinite love in spite of who we are and never mind how cold and indifferent we have been towards Him, or how far we have strayed away from Him. He continues to love us anyway.
Lent reminds us of the crosses that each of us has to bear, sickness, broken relationships, financial problems, loss of loved ones, etc. We are naturally afraid of that and it's so much better not to think about it. But we are told to Embrace the Cross and it will be much easier to carry.
The following story is probably fiction but it drives home the point. A certain nobleman has decided on finding the Garden of Eden or the Land of perpetual youth. He was told he had to carry a wooden cross in order to find what he was looking for and he agreed. He thought what a small price it was if he could realize his dream. The cross was given to him and he started on his way. The cross was heavy, so he decided to carry it on his shoulder. After a while, it became intolerable, so he decided to just drag the cross after him as he walked. That worked for a while, but it eventually became unbearable also. At his wits end he decided to lift the cross with his two arms and to hold it close to his body. He was embracing the cross and he discovered it was becoming lighter as he went on his way and he finally reached his destination without any problem.
I have been afraid of the Cross, but I also love the song, "Be not afraid, I go before you always, Come, follow Me". It is one of my favorite songs. It is a very encouraging thought during Lent. Instead of being afraid of the Cross let us Embrace it and rely on what Jesus promised: "I will be with you", and we will be surprised to find how truly easy it is.
__._,_.___
Call on the angels! Especially this day. Call them with kindness! Send them before you in every situation and watch your circumstances improve and problems resolve in ways you could not have imagined.