We carry our cross
Throughout our lives, we all bear the weight of the cross. The disappointments, the addictions, the insecurities, the illnesses, the death of loved ones. The cross is a part of our human condition. We each carry our cross, and we are surrounded by our brothers and sisters who carry their own.
During this season of Lent, it is important to remember that Jesus’ cross was not just symbolic – it was a literal cross. But He didn’t shy away from the suffering brought on by the cross. Rather, He showed us how to face it head-on.
Jesus demonstrated how to take hold of the cross with both hands, grab it and wrestle with it. He taught us that suffering is not something to be avoided, but something to be endured – and through that endurance, we can be transformed.
Everything we face in our lives—our doubts, our fears, our pain—Jesus has experienced first. He became tired, frustrated, and even doubted at times. He felt the sting of betrayal, the weight of responsibility, and the agony of physical and emotional pain. No part of the human experience is foreign to Him.
In this way, Christ’s life and suffering serve as a guide for us. There is no human pain that cannot be brought to the Cross of Christ. He has borne it all before us, and now offers His Cross as a means by which we, too, can find salvation.
The only way we can truly bear our crosses, however, is through our relationship with God. It is our connection to the divine that sustains us through our pain and suffering. Ideally, this should be a loving relationship, one built on trust and intimacy with the Creator who knows us better than we know ourselves. It is in this relationship that we find strength, courage, and the ability to carry our crosses with dignity and faith.
As we carry our crosses this Lent, let us remember that, through Christ, even the heaviest burdens can lead to new life.