Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Lent Day Two: Take Up Your Cross

Be joyful in suffering?  Sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it? And, who wants to suffer anyway? I must admit I am not a big fan of misery in any form. I've tried (unsuccessfully!) to avoid it my entire life. But alas, life happens. Some times the crosses we carry are burdensome yet light, allowing us to valiantly trudge forward all the while remaining on the path Christ has prepared. Then there are the heavy crosses, the ones you want to abandon the minute all seems hopeless. We feel stuck, not able to walk another step. Now, let me ask you a question . . . do you believe Jesus' promises? I mean, truly believe it in your heart? We are never asked to go it alone. He never abandons us. Follow Him and He will shower you with graces you never imagined possible. One day we will discover why the heavy crosses were necessary. Until then, take up your cross joyfully knowing He is right beside you, sharing the burden.

Todays Gospel (Luke 9:22-25) is all about death . . . and new life:


Jesus said to his disciples: “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Then he said to all, “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. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world
yet lose or forfeit himself?”


In Anne a lay apostle's book Climbing the Mountain, she gracefully describes the path of a lay apostle:



"In order to organize and guide us, Jesus has called for the formation of a group He calls the Lay Apostles of Jesus Christ the Returning King. We serve where Christ has placed us, some in obscurity, others in the eyes of the world. We accept our crosses and carry them with the certainty that Jesus draws great graces from our cooperation and uses these graces for the conversion of sinners and the good of the Kingdom. Indeed, the renewal is being fueled by the small daily sacrifice and service of each lay apostle. Consider a mountain. On that mountain is a path that has been marked out carefully for each of us by Jesus. Jesus is at the top. The world is at the bottom. If we get on that path and begin to climb, we will reach Jesus. We climb the mountain through our daily 'yes' to Jesus. People say that they do not know the will of God, but God will not hide His will. We must spend time in silence and ask Jesus and He will tell us where our path lies on this mountain of holiness. Most of us need look no further than to our vocations. Our path is usually marked out with the daily duties of these vocations and it is always best to begin at that point. In this time of transition, Jesus needs souls to find their path and start climbing. The higher we climb, the more grace and light Jesus flows through us into this world and the greater the number of souls saved. We praise God for the way He allows us to participate in this renewal." 

Lay apostles, how are you doing so far in your Lenten journey? I know it's only day two, but have you made a small change today? I kept an "old trigger" at bay while I grasped tightly the hand of Christ! I was over it in seconds! Stay focused on Him and continue to make small adjustments every day. You are all in my prayers!


Thank you, Lord, for the patience You are teaching me this Lent. Boy is it easier to get over things when You are by my side!


God bless,

Bonnie

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