The Walk

   “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matt 16:24)

   At first reading this scripture seems to say that following Christ will be a constant struggle, one cross to bear after another.  At times there will be crosses we must carry, some may seem unbearable.  But Jesus will help us carry those that are more than we can bear.  Just as Simeon helped Jesus carry His cross, Jesus will help us carry ours.

   But following Jesus is not just a matter of carrying crosses.  It is also sharing in the joy and happiness the Lord brings.  He fills our heart with His love and mercy and pleads with us to share it with others.  Great joy can be found in this sharing of Christ.  St. Teresa of Calcutta said, “Spread love everywhere you go.  Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.”  This is the heart of following Jesus, to share the love He has given us with our spouses, children, friends, strangers, and yes, even our enemies.

   Crosses will be a part of following Him.  Nothing of value comes without effort and hard work.  There may be times when the pain is so bad that we just want to give up.  Those are the times when we need His love most of all.  Those are the times when He will help us carry our cross.  Those are the times when it’s most important to share our pain with Christ and His love with others.

Lord, the road can be hard.

Great struggles sometimes come.

But it is the road to You.

Give us the strength to walk it.

Amen