Taking Up The Cross Daily: Reflection for the 5th Sunday of Lent

The 5th Sunday of Lent begins a period in the church called the Passiontide. St. Ignatius of Loyola wrote a prayer known as his suscipe following his conversion. It reads:

“Take, Lord, receive all my liberty

my memory, my understanding,

and my entire will,

All I have and call my own.

You have given all to me.

To you, Lord, I return it.

Everything is yours; do with it what you will.

Give me only your love and your grace,

that is enough for me.”

Once again, Christ talks about the importance of the cross. The cross is the heart of the matter of Lent. For the last few weeks, we observed our Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. It is through them that they help us prepare for our lord’s Paschal Mystery (passion, death, and resurrection). Through it, Christ dwells within us. Jeremiah reminds us that he pours forth His spirit and writes the law of love on our hearts.

Again, let us take up our cross and follow Jesus.