What Cross do You Bear?

Have you ever stopped to wonder why God chose a carpenter to be the foster father of His Son, Jesus Christ? To answer this question, we need to consider that every aspect of Christ’s life prepared Him for His ultimate mission, including the cross He would have to bear. Perhaps working with wood during His life with Joseph and Mary helped Jesus to embrace His cross. Let us think about that.

Certainly, Joseph taught Jesus everything he knew about his craft and how to work with different kinds of wood to create household items and various working instruments. In essence, Jesus developed a relationship with the wood that provided a means of support for His family. Is it any coincidence that wood became the cross He would have to carry to His crucifixion? With nails in His hands and feet, Christ was united with His cross.

Embrace the Cross

By embracing the cross, Jesus embraced all of us with all our troubles, worries, and sins. He carried us all on His journey. He stumbled, He fell, and needed help carrying His cross, but Christ did not give up. From His cross He united with us before His death by giving us mercy when He said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do”[Luke 23:34]; He gave us hope when he said to the repentant criminal, “Today, you will be with me in Paradise” [Luke 23: 43]; He gave us love when He gave us Mary to be our Mother; and He gave us faith when He said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” [Luke 23:46]

How does this analogy relate to our own lives? The cross that we bear may come from our careers, our home, our own mind or body, or from circumstances beyond our control. Whatever that cross may be, Christ prepares us. Through His life, His struggles, and His suffering, Christ shows us how to handle our cross; not with anger, resentment, or despair, but with faith, hope, love and mercy.

In Unity with Christ

In unity with Christ, our burdens—no matter how large—will not defeat us. What’s more, when we unite with Christ we have the ability to look beyond our own cross and use our suffering to help others in need. By sharing the grace of faith, hope, love, and mercy, we discover consolation and dignity when all else is bleak.

True, we will stumble and likely fall, but we will receive the help we need to carry on. With our Lord’s grace and Mary our Blessed Mother by our side, we will not fail on our journey. By embracing our cross, by embracing Jesus, we too can help make all things new and help others on the path to Heaven.

Christ looked beyond His own pain and suffering to give us what we need for our daily living and for when we face our own cross.  May we have the courage to look beyond our own troubles to help those in greater need than ourselves and when our troubles overwhelm us, may we have the faith to trust the Lord’s loving mercy. Amen