We often forget that Jesus told His disciples: “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Mt. 16:24). The next time we try to run away from this command, let us recall the following reflection:
"...There is no health of soul nor hope of eternal life but in the Cross. The more the flesh is brought down by affliction, the more is the spirit strengthened by interior grace. We are not exhorted to pray for the Cross, but we may and ought to pray for a love of the Cross. The price of great graces is humiliation - The Royal Way of the Cross. Humiliations are precious drops from the chalice of our Lord's Blood.
"...There is no health of soul nor hope of eternal life but in the Cross. The more the flesh is brought down by affliction, the more is the spirit strengthened by interior grace. We are not exhorted to pray for the Cross, but we may and ought to pray for a love of the Cross. The price of great graces is humiliation - The Royal Way of the Cross. Humiliations are precious drops from the chalice of our Lord's Blood.
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When our Lord loves anyone, He presses him to His Heart as a tender friend would do; but round Jesus' Heart there is a crown of thorns, and the more He presses us to His Heart, the more these thorns enter into ours. How many - even Religious - there are who only seek the shadow of the Cross, how many who lean against it, how few who climb up and are fastened to it!"
(From Meditation on The Passion)
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This is great to keep in mind, especially when we get discouraged with carrying our cross year after year.
ReplyDeleteWe will all have crosses to carry in our life. and you are right Barbara, that keeping this reflection close at hand will help us those difficult times. Thank you for taking the time to comment.
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