Take up your cross and follow me - Station 2

The cross is the universal symbol of Christianity.  Whether tatooed on someone's body, dangling from the ears or adorned on a necklace, it is a visible expression of their faith, and for others it's nothing more than a blinged out accessory at the end of rosary beads that are worn, but rarely prayed. 

                             

In the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus says to his disciples "Take up your cross and follow me."  We often think of our modern day crosses as thankless jobs without any fulfillment or promise of elevation, physical infirmities, or some type of broken relationship.  However, to people living in the first century and ancient world, the cross represented death in the most horrific and painful way. 

In Roman execution, the condemned was often made to carry their cross.  In Station # 2, Jesus is given his cross to bear for crimes and accusations that were unfounded.  Imagine if you would, carrying 75 -125 pounds of wood on your shoulders in the heat of the day on a dusty road leading to Golgatha, after a night of being tried unfairly, beaten and mocked.  I think it strange that the very same people who were shouting "Hosanna" on Sunday were looking on in horror, fear and disbelief on Friday. 

Centuries later, the cross represents forgiveness, grace and love.  However the cross for us in the twenty-first century does not represent death.  What does it mean for a post-modern world Christian to take up their cross and follow Jesus?  Simply put, when we take up our cross and follow Jesus, we factor ourselves out of the equation.  We sometimes come to the realization that our hopes and dreams for ourselves, may not necessarily match what God is calling us to do.  Sometimes you may find that you have to speak out against an injustice when it would be much more convenient to remain silence in indifference.  The good news is that we don't have to bear our crosses alone.  The Holy Spirit along with our families and communities of faith are there to cheer us along, even though the road may be weary and long.

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus crucified, help us to look beyond ourselves in this moment and time and take up our cross to follow you.  Give us the grace to do it with love, hope and joy for the journey.  Amen.

Faithfully,
Karr